Fire Emblem: The Unifying War
by IkeandMia
Summary: A war has erupted across the continents. Can a lowly mercenary rise up and unite the fractured armies against this threat? FE7-10 Crossover. Chapter 13 is up! The heroes' only recourse is to flee to Begnion. But will it be that simple?
1. Chapter 1

Fire Emblem: The Unifying War

IkeandMia

Disclaimer: I in no way shape or form own Fire Emblem, Intelligent Systems, or Nintendo. So Please Don't sue me!

Also, sorry about the lame format. All I have is wordpad...:(

Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter

The day had started normal enough. Kratos had eaten breakfast, checked in at the local Guild office to see if he could pick up a new contract, (Much to his dismay, there weren't any avaliable) and then he had set off to the next territory. Of course, being in a country as peaceful as Lycia he should have known better than there to be much in the way of work for a mercenary...

At any rate he'd decided that he should probably go to Araphen next. It being the second biggest city in Lycia surely SOMEONE would be willing to hire him. It was then that he noticed the large knot of crimson clad soldiers ahead on the road. Generally Kratos made it a point to deal with official military as little as possible. The contracts usually paid well, but the military viewed mercenaries as expendable, usually sending them difficult and usually fatal assignments. All the pay in the world wouldn't matter if he was dead...

"Hey, you!" A voice snapped him out of his daydream.

"Me...?" Kratos answered.

"Is there anyone else here?" the owner of the voice, one of the soldiers snapped back. "Why are you armed?"

"Well, I'm a mercenary. I was just passing through when..."

"Enough! That's all I need to hear. You!" the soldier gestured to two of his comrades. "Sieze and disarm him! We're taking him back with us!" The two men, obviously subordinates, hefted their lances and started towards him.

"What in the name of..." Kratos muttered. "Listen! I mean you no harm! I merely wish to be on my way!"

"Really? As if I care. Keep it up and we may just kill you here," the soldier captain threatened.

"Is that so?" Kratos replied, drawing his sword. He wasn't about to be accosted for no real reason. "Well then, I suppose I may have to be uncooperative after all."

"Fool. Forget capturing him, cut him down!" The two enemies closed with him quickly, lances held at the ready. The first man thrust his lance forward, attempting a skewering strike. Kratos stepped aside and forward, into striking distance. His sword stroke opened the man's throat, sending a stream of blood spiraling down as the man fell limp. The second combatant came at him, swinging his lance laterally in an attempt to disembowel Kratos. Kratos stepped backwards, measuring his attacker. If he could time it right he could catch the lance with his sword and...

The thought was cut short as Kratos' foot caught a rut in the path and he fell backwards.

His foe, sensing opporitunity, run forward and stabbed his lance downward in a strike that would have pinned Kratos to the ground. He barely managed to roll out of the way, although the lance scored a grazing hit on his shoulder. Fortune hadn't entirely abadoned Kratos, however, as his opponent's lance became stuck in the soft earth. Kratos siezed the opporitndunity, running his sword through the unfortunate soldier's chest. He withdrew his blade swiftly, internally smirking at the enemies. _"That's what you get for underestimating me,"_ he thought smugly.

HIs celebration was very short lived however, as two archers strode forward and readied their bows. _"Curses, there's no way I'll dodge both of them. I guess this might be it..."_ He began to ready himself to try anyway when a loud shout came from the back of the formation.

"Look out! She's loose! She's..." the cry was adbruptly trunjicated into a gurgle. The two archers gazes shifted to see the source of the commotion. This was all the opporitunity Kratos needed. He closed the gap between them quickly, cutting down the first one before he knew what happened. The second archer tried to correct his error, but in his panic the hastily fired shot missed wide right. He prepared to ready another arrow, but Kratos wasn't about to give him the opporitunity. His sword strike cut a nasty gash from his right shoulder to the left side of his abdomen.

Kratos gave the situation a quick evaluation. The source of the disturbance was staring down the three remaining members of the soldier group. Their captain lay dead along with two more of his troop. She was clad in orange, her long purple hair held back by a white headband. She held her sword in a two handed grip down at her waist. Her emerald eyes were afire with gritty determination.

"Alright, who dies next?" She taunted. One of them rushed forward, sword held outward. She dodged his strike as if he were a child swinging around a stick. She flipped her sword around

quickly and plunged her blade into his back. She gave it a quick twist and withdrew it, sending the poor man to a quick and painful death. It was then she acknoledged him for the first time. "Hey! Let's say we put an end to this?"

"Gladly," Kratos replied. The two remaining soldiers, both axemen, turned to face ttheir respective opponents. But their weapons were slow and clumsy, and the two swordsmen made short work of their opposition.

"Wow," the woman said as Kratos wiped the blood from his sword. "That was unexpected, to say the least. You're pretty good with a sword."

"I could say the same," he answered, sheathing his blade. "Any idea who these guys were?"

"They said they were from Bern. They just grabbed me off the street with no explanation and drug me off. I don't know what they were after." She glanced at his sholder. "You hurt?"

"I've had worse," Kratos replied, pulling a bandage out of his pack and applying it. "I'm Kratos by the way, a Guild mercenary. I was on my way to Araphen to look for work when I ran into these guys."

"The name's Mia," she told him. "I was just there for pretty much the same reason, and let me tell you, things have gotten pretty intense. They say Bern's invading Lycia."

"What?' Kratos was taken aback. Relations between the two countries had never been anything but friendly. For Bern to suddenly attack its neighbor without warning was an unexpected move to say the least. Then again, the best time to strike was always when the enemy least expected it. "So what's happening?"

"So far Lycia is getting trounced." This wasn't unexpected. Bern's military was far superior to Lycia's, and coupled with the fact that there had been no provocation Lycia really hadn't had much chance. "According to what I heard a few of the lords escaped to Renais, but that's all I really know."

"Wow, I really had no idea. An invasion..." The thought of open war was something he really hadn't been prepared for. Everything had been so peaceful, and all of a sudden Bern decided to fan the flames of war? Although wars almost certainly meant more work for a mercenary. "Well, we should probably get as far away from here as we can. We don't need another troop coming after us."

"Sounds like as good a plan as any. So where to, Boss?" she said.

_"Boss?" _he thought."What do you mean?"

"Well, you gave me the distraction I needed to escape. I figure I owe you for saving me. Plus, it'd probably be a lot safer traveling together than alone. Those guys seemed determined to capture us just for being armed and I doubt they'll listen any more later than they did a minute ago."

"Well..." Kratos found himself conflicted. Generally he preferred working alone, although he wasn't diametrically opposed to working with others. And she did have a point..."Alright. I guess it wouldn't hurt, anyways."

"Great! So, where to?" she repeated.

"Hmm...I'd say that the best route would probably be back to Caelin. From there we can head northeast towards Renais. That's most likely the best place for us to be, there's a strong Guild presence there plus they're allies with Lycia."

"Then lead on, Boss!" Mia said cheerfully.

_"What have I gotten myself into? Boss...?"_

And there you have it. This is the first fic I've actually had the courage to submit. R & R would be appreciated. Don't tear me apart too bad. I'll be updating frequently.:)


	2. Chapter 2 Bern Marches

Fire Emblem: The Unifying War

Again, I do not own Nintendo, Fire Emblem, or Intelligent Systems. Although that would be awesome.

Chapter 2 Bern Marches

The intrepid pair made their way down the road leading to Caelin. Along the way Mia kept asking Kratos all sorts of questions about his swordsmandship. Where did he learn, how long had he been at it, were you ever part of a mercenary troop? The questions seemed endless, and never having been one for small talk, he was beginning to regret his desicion to travel with her.

"Would you please just be quiet for a bit?" Kratos asked after about an hour. "I'm trying to think about our next course of action, and I'm finding it quite difficult with you constantly pestering me."

"Well, excuse me for trying to be friendly," she answered back bitterly. "I just figured since we were going to be traveling together we should probably know a bit more about one another. But I suppose it's your call Boss."

"That's another thing. Why do you keep calling me Boss? It's not like I'm in charge of you or anything. You're free to do whatever you want."

"Hmm..." Mia contemplated this for a bit. "I suppose it's just an old habit of mine back from my days with my old troop. I always used to call our leader Boss, so I guess I thought since I was following your lead I'd do the same."

"Well, if you insist, I suppose I can live with that at least. Although it'll take some getting used to..." No, Kratos was certainly not a leader. He figured it was hard enough taking care of your own hide out there on the battlefield, looking after others was not something he desired. After a bit of traveling, the duo eventually reached Caelin. "I suppose the first thing we should do is secure some lodgings," Kratos thought aloud. "Then, we should ask around and see if we can find out anything more about this invasion."

"Alright, sounds like as good a plan as any." The two arrived at the local inn and booked a room, then set out in search of information. There wasn't much the locals knew beyond their own limited knowledge, although one man did have an interesting tidbit.

'Don't know much about it beyond the fact it's happening," he told Kratos. "One thing I did hear though was that Bern had declared any citizen holding a weapon other than their soldiers in Lycian territory an enemy combatant and was to be locked up immediately. Speaking of which, why are you wearing that sword out so openly? If any of them saw you they'd arrest you for sure!"

"If it comes to that, I'll deal with it. No one's disarming me," Kratos said indignantly.

"Well, you certainly are brave. Elimine knows I wouldn't have the courage to stand up to them. Good luck to you sir, you'll need it in the days ahead."

"Same to you," Kratos said, departing. Hmm, so that was it. No wonder they'd been so quick to try and arrest him earlier. He certainly hoped Mia had come up with something better to report than he had.

Kratos decided to go back to the inn. Mia was waiting for him outside. The two exchanged the information they had gleaned from the citizenry. To his dismay, however, her search had been even more fruitless than his had. "Half the people I asked weren't even aware there WAS an invasion," she said. "It was all I could do not to incite a panic. So all we got is basically what we knew already: Bern won't listen to us."

"Well, we made the effort at least. Too bad we couldn't learn more, but really, nothing to be done about it. Tomorrow I say we leave as soon as possible, the sooner we can get out of Lycia the better."

"I agree. Don't know what we'll do from there though..." Mia trailed off. The pair made their way through the inn and to their room. Kratos opened the door and gave it a quick once over, only to be shocked when he realized there was only one bed.

'Uhh..." Kratos began hesitantly

"Well, isn't that interesting," Mia commented. "The innkeeper made a blunder.

"Or perhaps is making unwaranted assumptions. Either way..." Their eyes locked for a split second, then Kratos looked away quickly. "You take the bed, I'll sleep on the floor."

"You sure? You're the one that paid for this after all..."

"Yes, I'm sure. I've slept on far worse than an inn floor before, I'll be fine. I mean, you are..."

"I'm what?" she replied sharply. It was then Kratos realized he'd made a mistake.

"I just mean that it's usually common courtesey to treat women with discretion and..."

"Oh, I know exactly what you meant. You mean to say that because I'm a woman you don't think I'm tough enough to be without all the comforts. Well, fine then," she plopped down into one of the corners of the room. "I'm sleeping here."

"Really, you don't have to do that, I was just trying to..."

"Good night, BOSS," she snapped, extinguishing the lamp in the center of the room and returning to her corner.

_"Demon King take my soul if I'm sleeping in that bed now," _Kratos thought, moving into the opposite corner and propping against it. He looked across the darkened room at his companion. Still, he did find himself with a sort of twisted respect for her. She was just as stubborn as he was, a thing he hardly thought possible. Eventually he closed his eyes and let sleep take him. Tomorrow was going to be busy.

Kratos was always one to wake up early, so when he awoke and found the room empty he was surprised. He observed the position of the sun in the sky and knew it couldn't possible be more that half a mark past five, but still Mia was apparently awake and about. This irritated him slightly. He didn't need to give her another reason to taunt him. But at the same time this also made his respect for her grow, if only a little. He went to the lobby and found her waiting for him.

"Oh, hey there," He said. "Already up I see."

"Yeah," she replied. "It doesn't matter how late I go to sleep, I'm always up before danw. So, this place has free breakfast for all guests, you feel like partaking before heading out?"

"Sure, but let's find a place to sit as close to the door as we can. Never know when we might have to make a break for it." She nodded, and the pair began to enjoy their meal. A few minutes later, however, a very loud shout could be heard from outside.

"UNHAND ME, I SAID!" the voice shouted. "YOU'VE NO RIGHT TO ACCOST ME IN SUCH A MANNER!"

"Uh-oh," Kratos said. "That can't be good..."

"You're right, Mia replied. "Let's go see what's happening."

"Wait a minute!" Kratos pleaded, but to no avail. She was already up and out the door. _"By Jehanna's sands this is is a nightmare." _He had no choice but to follow her out. The scene that lay outside was much as he'd feared. Another troop of Bern soldiers were outside, their attention focused on the apparent owner of the voice. She was a young girl with shoulder length purple hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a purple shirt and skirt, and was also adorned with a blue cape.

"We don't have the right, you say? T" One of the soldiers sneered."Then how do you explain this?" He held a book aloft.

"Since when was it a crime for a mage to carry a tome?" She answered defiantly. "You, sir, would do well to research local laws and statues as you are in violation of several in this underhanded scheme!"

"Guess you haven't heard, missy. We ARE the law." He pushed her down violently and tossed the tome to one of his companions. "Make sure she keeps quiet. I've had about enough of her incessant chatter."

"That a fact?" Mia challenged, drawing her sword. "Maybe I've had enough of you picking on a defenseless person. Why don't you try that with me and we'll see what happens." Kratos quickly joined her.

"Is this really how the great Bern empire operates? Preying on those too weak to help themselves? You disgust me," Kratos said, and meant it. He spat on the ground for emphasis.

"Well, I had no idea Lycians were so suicidal," the soldier scoffed. "Don't bother arresting these idiots, just kill 'em." Three of the enemies moved forward, two of them lancers and the other a swordsman. Kratos ducked under the first strike and sidestepped the second, getting in close enough to seperate the man's head from his shoulders. He cast a sideways glance at Mia, who had already dispatched the swordsman and was turning her attention to the remainingni lanceman, who found himself caught between two enemies. They finished him quickly and turned to the rest of the troops.

"Alright, who's next?" Mia taunted. The pair stood shoulder to shoulder, ready to face the next threat.

"Enough of this," a slightly muffled voice said from the back of the group. The enemy formation parted as a knight in heavy armor strode forward. "I'll deal with this." He started slowly towards them He hefted a very large lance.

"I'll take this one!" Mia shouted, rushing forward.

"Wait! Mia!" The heavily armored knight had a huge advantage over her, but she didn't seem to care. His strikes were slow but measued. Mia was able to evade them swiftly and get into stirking distance. Faster than he had let on, however, he swung his large shield and bashed Mia acorss the face, sending her off her feet and into the air. She landed with a sharp "Ugh," the wind knocked out of her. Gasping to catch her breath, she found herself staring up and the hulking figure.

"Farewell, girl," he said, raising his lance and preparing to plunge it into her chest. Kratos found himself completly helpless, he knew there was know way he would get there quickly enough to help her. All he could do was watch as...

...a bright flash appeared from overhead and a large fire plume struck the knight. Smoke poured from his armor and the scent of charred flesh filled the air as he collapsed lifelessly. Kratos looked around quickly, trying to find the source of the blast. He was surprised to find another of the soldiers laying dead, a small dagger sticking out of his throat. The young girl they had been pushing around earlier had apparently gotten free and was seeking revenge. _"Well, enemy of my enemy..."_ Kratos thought. He rushed over to where Mia lay and helped her to her feet. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied, wiping a bit of blood from her lip. "That was stupid."

"No time to worry about that now, we've still got to finish these guys," Kratos said. She nodded, tightening her grip on her weapon. The enemy, apparently shellshocked from the loss of their knight, hadn't even began to move against the young mage until she had started chanting her spell again. Two of them rushed towards her, axes drawn. This time, however, her spell split in two and struck both men. While with its power halved it wasn't fatal, it stopped them in their tracks as they rolled around trying to put themselves out. The two swordsmen and already defeated two more opponents, making their way quickly towards the girl. The only two who stood between them now were the two who she had struck earlier, and with a pair of swift sword strokes the battle was over.

"Whew...that was a close one," Kratos sighed, staying his sword. "Those guys were a bit tougher than the ones we fought yesterday."

"You mean to say you've encountered more of these brutes?" The mage asked him.

"Yes, they're spread all over. Have you not heard of the Bern invasion?" Mia responded.

"No, I'm usually much too busy with research to deal with the trifles of politics. An invasion? To what end?"

"That is a question I cannot answer." Kratos said truthfully. "All I can say is that is not safe to be traveling Lycia anymore, especially being armed."

"Hmm...this means that returning to Renais just got a bit more complicated..." the mage said.

"Yeah, it's probably not good to be on your own...hey, I have an idea!" Mia exclaimed. " We're heading to Renais too. Why don't you travel with us? You'd definately be better off traveling in a group than alone."

"Wait a minute, I don't think..." Kratos protested.

"Well, what do you say?" Mia continued, ignoring him.

"I suppose that logically there is safety in numbers. Not that I require assisstance. My power would have been sufficient to dispatch them all. I suppose I shall accept your offer."

"Great!" Mia cried. "I'm Mia, and the stoic one is Kratos."

"I am Lute, genius mage extrordinaire," she introduced herself. "You can call me Lute."

"Alright! I just know we're gonna have fun together!" Mia said excitedly.

Kratos let out a huge sigh. This journey was getting more and more complicated with each passing day...

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

And that's all till next time! Hooray for character development! Reviews would be much appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3 Crossing Paths

Fire Emblem: The Unifying War

Chapter 3: Crossing Paths

Disclaimer: I own nothing involved, blah blah blah. Story time!!

Kratos wasn't sure what had happened. He had went from being a lone mercenary looking for work to a fugitive traveling in the company of two of the strangest women he had ever met. One was absolutely obsessed with swordsmanship and dueling, the other seemed to be obssessed with herself. While he respected confidence, this went beyond that. The way she prattled on and on about her superiority was enough to make even the most patient person question his sanity. And he'd never been a patient person.

It was a few hours down the road from Caelin towards Ostia that he'd finally had enough. He pulled Mia aside. "I thought you said you were following my lead," he wispered harshly. "Didn't you seem to notice how opposed I was to picking up another companion?"

"Oh, I noticed," Mia answered. "I just figured I owed you one for last night. Watching you squirm these past few hours has been more than enough payback for me. Don't worry Boss, from now on you're in charge." All Kratos could do was heave a sigh and press forward. It wasn't like his conscious would have actually allowed him to abandon her anyway...but his only wish was that she'd be quiet for a bit.

The odds of which were incalculably close to zero. "Kratos," Lute called. "You know, you should consider yourself lucky. Had I not been there you two would probably be dead right now. lt wouldn't hurt you to show me a little gratitude."

"Really?" Kratos asked rhetorically. "It seems to me that you were the one in a tight spot before WE came along."

"Oh, that was nothing. I could have easily escaped those men on my own had it been necessary. I am superior, after all."

"Right..." Kratos gave up. If she chose to believe that, he really wasn't in the mood to debate it any further. And she HAD saved Mia..."I suppose that's true," he agreed. He decided to play along. Perhaps then she would finally shut up.

"So, Kratos," Mia began. "You never have answered any of my questions. Where did you learn to fight? Your swordsmanship is pretty refined. It's not the sort of thing you can learn just by picking up a blade and swinging it around." Kratos contemplated not answering again, but figured he might as well. She wasn't going to quit asking until he answered.

"I learned to use a sword back in days when I used to be a Knight of Renais," he replied.

"Really? You were once a knight?" Mia asked, intrigued. "You don't strike me as the type..."

"I wasn't," Kratos replied. "That's how I wound up out here instead of attached to some noble house. At first, all that knightly honor and such appealed to me, but after having witnessed the sort of trivial and petty things the nobility seems willing to sacrifice lives for, I couldn't abide it. So I struck out on my own here as a mercenary. That was a long time ago, however..."

"I hate to interrupt your fascinating conversation," Lute interjected. "But if you'll look ahead you'll see some sort of skirmish going on."

"What?" Mia and Kratos said simultaneously. She was right. No more than 150 yards up the road, what appeared to be two small armies were clashing rather violently.

"Curses," Kratos bit out. "Everywhere we go, there's just more and more of them..."

"So, what's the plan Boss? Do we avoid them, or do we help?"

"Before we commit to anything, we should get a little closer and assess the situation. It wouldn't do anyone any good if we were to get involved and get ourselves killed."

"Alright, let's do it." The trio approached slowly, getting as close as they could to the battle without drawing attention to themselves. It was as they suspected. A group of Bern soldiers were clashing with what appeared to be a group of Lycian knights. The Lycians were putting up quite a fight despite being outnumbered, but it was apparent that the few remaining knight were soon going to be overwhelmed by Bern's superior numbers.

"Hmm..." Kratos evaluated the situation. Charging headlong into the soldiers would most likely get them killed. However, they seemed to be completely unaware of their presence. The element of surprise would be theirs. He estimated that they could probably take three or four of them before they were aware of their presence. "Okay, here's what we'll do. Lute, when I give the signal, I want you to blast their archers with magic. Mia, you and I are going to split up and attack them from both sides. We'll push our way towards the middle. Lute, wait until you see me draw my sword to use your magic."

"Okay, you can count on me!" Lute answered back. The pair of mercenaries advaced cautiously, wary not to present themselves until the last possible moment. Just a bit closer...a bit more...NOW! Kratos drew his sword and charged in at the nearest Bern soldier. Right on cue, two pillars of flame erupted in the middle of the Bern soldiers. He could hear the poor men screaming, never truly aware of what exactly had killed them. This newfound opponent had drawn the attention of the enemy so much that Kratos was able to kill the first soldier before he was even aware of his presence. The next soldier he faced was ready for him, sword drawn as he beckoned Kratos forward.

_"Confident, aren't we?"_ Kratos thought. Well, he was more than willing to comply. He advanced, aiming a strike at the man's torso. He caught the attack on his blade, stepping back and countering with a strike of his own. Kratos nimbly avoided the attack, preparing to strike again. He ran forward, catching the man's thrust with his own blade and used his free hand to deliver a strike to the man's temple. He staggered back, dazed. Kratos siezed the opporitunity to slice the man open.

The tide of the battle had turned. With the arrival of this new, unexpected foe, the enemy had collapsed into a disheveled mess. With another volley of magic, the enemy suddenly found their advantage of numbers dissolving. They fell back into a cluster formation, which was quite possibly the worst move they could have made. The Lycian Knights quickly surrounded them, cutting off any avenues of escape. Still, the Bern soldiers fought on, refusing to surrender. Odds were that whatever punishment they would recieve at home was worse than the death these knights would grant them.

Kratos watched as the Bern soldiers were eventually defeated, although they managed to take a couple more of the knights with them. He looked across and saw that Mia was observing things in much the same fashion. After the battle was concluded, he approached her.

"I really didn't accomplish much," Kratos admitted. "Lute's magic worked wonders in demoralizing them."

"See? It was a good thing we picked her up after all," Mia chided playfully.

"Yeah, yeah..." Kratos noticed one of the knights riding towards him. He was clad in crimson armor, which almost matched the color of his hair. He was holding a lance in his right hand, a sword clipped to his side.

"Excuse me sir," he said formally. "You came to our aid, yes? You have my sincerest gratitude."

"It wasn't much trouble," Kratos answered. "Bern is seems to have a problem with us, and we figured the fewer of them there were the better."

"We? Ah," he realized, acknoledging Mia. "You helped as well?"

"Yeah," Mia said, an irritated tone creeping into her voice. "What of it?"

_"Uh-oh..."_

"Nothing. I extend my thanks to you as well then, Lady...?"

"Mia. My companion's name is Kratos."

"Ah," the knight replied. "Something stirkes me, though. Neither of you are mages. Where did that powerful attack come from?"

"That would be my handiwork," Lute answered, having come to join her companions. "I see you were impressed. That is to be expected, however, the first time you bear witness to me in action."

"Yes, it was indeed impressive," the knight said, slightly confused. "At any rate, I thank you again. Had you not arrived when you did, I fear we might have met defeat this day."

"Yeah, well, you're welcome I suppose," Kratos said, in a hurry to get moving. The more time they dawdled here the more likely it was Bern would send reinforcements.

"Hmm..." the knight began. "Tell me, do you and your companions have any destination in mind?"

"We're heading to Renais," Mia answered. "We figured Bern wouldn't dare pursue us across the border."

"A wise desicion. But the border between Lycia and Bern is heavily patrolled right now. We've sent several men in an attempt to get across the border, but none succeeded."

"Figures," Kratos muttered. The way his luck was going, he wouldn't be surprised if the Goldoan dragons decided to come after him next. "So what do you suggest we do?"

"Fortunately, the border between Lycia and Etruria isn't quite as heavily patrolled. I would suggest taking that route and then from there going to Renais. But I digress. The real reason I came here was to ask if you required lodgings for tonight."

"Lodgings?" Kratos asked hesitantly.

"Yes," the knight said. "We have little in the way of luxuries. but I assure you that we can offer you safe haven from Bern, at least for tonight." Kratos thought for a moment. He wanted to get moving as quickly as possible and leave this whole mess behind him. Then again, he was starting to run low on gold, and he doubted he could continue to afford paying for rooms...

"Very well." Kratos answered. "I suppose it would be rude for me to refuse your offer."

"Excellent!" the knight exclaimed. "Oh, and forgive my late inroduction. I am Kent, knight commander of Caelin."

"A pleasure, Kent," Kratos replied, offering him his hand. Kent took it and gave it several solid pumps. He led the trio of newcomers to a local inn, where the knights had apparently set up their base of operations. They filed into the building, exchanging greetings with loved ones and family. Kratos thought it a very fitting scene. Then a shrill screech interrupted.

"Eeeeeeeee! Kent, you're safe!" a female voice said.

"Yes, Serra, I made it back, Kent answered. The owner of the voice was a short woman with pink hair she had tied into pigtails. She wore religious vestiary and carried what appeared to be a healing staff. Her blue eyes fixed on Kratos.

"Who is this?" she asked.

"This is Kratos," Kent said. "He came to our aid in the battle today. Without him, I fear we woulnd't have made it back."

"Kratos, huh..." she cast her gaze up and down. "A bit untidy. But I suppose that can't be helped."

_"Greetings to you too,"_ Kratos thought.

"Serra, several of my men are wounded. I'd like you to see to their treatment."

"As you wish, sir!" she replied, bouncing off. She left the group speechless for a moment.

"Serra can be a bit...forward," Kent finally spoke up.

"Yes, she seems to have little inhibition about what she says..." Mia commented.

"So, I shall see to it that you are all properly fed and taken care of," Kent said. "It is the least we can do after you assisted us."

"That would be most appreciated. We've had quite a long day..."

"Yes, I can imagine. Do not worry, I'm sure you'll find our hospitality to be satisfactory." Kent was was as good as his word. The group all got their own rooms and beds, and were treated to some of the finest food they'd eaten in a long time. Kratos retired early that night, letting his weary bones rest. Tomorrow would likely be just as busy as today had.

Kratos awoke early again the next morning. He realized by the lack of noise that most everyone else was still asleep. He got dressed and made his way outside, wanting to observe the sunrise. When he got outside, he saw Mia was already outside. She was practicing her sword drills, the first rays of sunlight glinting off her blade. Kratos observed her for a few minutes, watching as she ran through her routine with precision. "Impressive," Kratos said aloud.

"Oh, Boss! Morning!" she replied. "I didn't realize you were standing there. How long have you been watching?",

"Just a few minutes. What I did see was quite good."

"You don't last as long as we have on the battlefield otherwise," Mia observed.

"True enough," Kratos agreed.

"Oh! Hey boss, I just had a great idea!" she exclaimed. "What do you say me and you have a duel?"

"You mean here? Now?"

"Of course! There's nothing I enjoy more than dueling at dawn!" she pointed her sword at him. "Unless you're scared."

"Scared? The only thing that would frighten me is hurting you too bad," Kratos scoffed, knowing that would irritate her to no end.

"Oooooh! Now you've done it!" Mia was fuming. "I'll show you not to take me lightly!"

"Anytime you're ready," Kratos said, drawing his sword.

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Well, there's chapter three! Who will win this epic conflict? What are Bern's plans? Will Lute ever get over herself? Find out the answers to most of these questions in the next chapter!

And no, Lute won't. XD


	4. Chapter 4 A Rivalry Heats Up!

Fire Emblem: The Unifying War

Chapter 4 A Rivalry Heats Up!

Disclaimer: Read the others. I still don't own anything.

The two circled one another slowly, swords drawn and held at the ready. They studied one another intently, wary of the telltale movements that would indicate their opponent was closing to attack. Kratos was ready for anything Mia threw at him. He found himself almost as eager as she did to find out which one of them had a greater mastery of the blade.

After a few more tense seconds, Kratos decided to be the agressor. He closed the distance between them quickly, probing her defenses with several quick strikes. She parried each stroke beautifully, setting herself and delivering a series of counters. Kratos blocked each one, although the last one got slightly closer than he'd intended to let it. Taking his sword in a two handed grip, he swung it laterally at her. Mia caught the strike on her blade and the swords locked. Both combatants stood there, pressing with all their might, unwilling to give an inch to the other.

Then Mia let go of her sword with one hand. _"What's she doing? There's no way she can hold me at bay with just one-" _the thought was cut short as Mia's fist drove itself straight into Kratos' face. She followed up with a spinning strike. Kratos, dazed, was able to partially block, but the tip of her blade left a nasty cut across his right cheek.

"I told you not to take me lightly," Mia taunted. "Perhaps you're not quite as good as I thought."

"Perhaps you shouldn't let down your guard!" Kratos countered, rushing in for another attack. The two crossed swords once more in a series of quick slashes and thrusts that to an outside observer would have appeared to be a choreographed dance. Then the two locked blades again. Kratos wasn't about to make the same mistake twice. He drove his knee hard into Mia's abdomen, causing her to stagger back, gasping for breath.

"Good...good..." Mia wheezed. "You've...stopped...holding...back..." After a few more gasping breaths, she motioned for Kratos to come on. He complied, attacking both high and low, attempting to find an opening in her form. It was fruitless, however. She countered, also looking for a weak spot in Kratos' technique. They found themselves far too evenly matched, each one parrying and blocking the other's strikes flawlessly. After a few more minutes, Kratos stepped back.

"Giving...up?" Mia asked, out of breath once more from their heated exchange.

"Hardly," Kratos answered. "I just...figured...that there's no...way...we're gonna...settle it...like this." He took a moment to regain his composure. "So, I figured we set ourselves and strike one last time with all our might. Whoever gains the advantage after this final strike will be declared the victor."

"Sounds good," Mia replied, tightening her grip. "Anytime you're ready." Kratos gave her a nod and took a deep breath. This was it. He took his sword in a two handed grip and charged forward. She did likewise, letting out a battlecry. The two of the met, their swords clashed violently...

And each competitor watched helplessly as their swords flew out of their grips and landed harmlessly to the side. Kratos, at first, was too shocked to speak. Then, he heard Mia start cackling hysterically. He soon joined her, the pair unable to believe what had just transpired. Kratos fell to his knees with laughter, laughing so hard he was unable to breathe. Mia found herself in much the same situation, bent over on all fours shaking. After a about a minute solid, Kratos fell back and looked up at the sky. "_The gods must have a sense of humor_," he decided. _"That's the only explanation for what just happened..."_

"Good grief, Boss," Mia said, rolling over beside him. "That was ridiculous. The odds of that happening were lower than a snake in a wagon rut."

"I'm inclined to agree," Kratos replied, looking over at her. "I suppose this means we're calling this round a draw then?"

'I don't see any other way we could call it," Mia agreed, still snickering. "That was the most fun I've had in years. I'm glad we met, Boss. Everything we've went through so far was worth that, no question.

"Yeah, I concur. That was probaly more fun than I've had in a long time too." Kratos answered. _"Wait, what did I just say_?"

"Anyways, you should probably go inside and get that cut looked at," Mia told him, standing up. "Don't want that to get infected..."

"You're right, wouldn't do to have me laid up in bed would it?" Kratos got to his feet and started inside. _"I can't believe I said that. A few days ago I wouldn't have even thought it. What's happening to me...?"_

Meanwhile, a significantly less jovial scene was taking place in the Royal Palace in Bern. An old wizened sorceror made his was through the halls, muttering to himself. The soldiers in the palace knew to give him a wide berth. He made his way slowly towards the King's personal chamber. The doors opened before him and he let himself inside.

"Riev," a voice called from beyond a curtain. "What news have you?"

"Ah, my King," Riev answered. "The invasion of Lycia has been a complete success. All of the territories are now under your command. Scattered pockets of resistance remain, but they're nothing our forces can't handle.

"Excellent. Have they found what they were looking for?"

"Almost, sire. Two of the three Sacred Weapons were found, however, the third appears to have gone missing."

"What?!" the King bellowed. "We can't afford to have such mistakes, especially not in such an early part of our plan.

"Peace, your majesty," Riev supplicated. "We have very reliable information that the mouse that was carrying the third weapon has fled to Renais. Since it is our next target, we can just sieze it during our attack."

"Hmm..." the King contemplated, not entirely convinced. "And if she escapes again?"

"Contingencies are in place. There are those that in this new age of discovery desire the lands to be brought under a single banner. My agents have...incited these sleeping masses. When the time comes, our enemies will find themselves besieged on two fronts. Even the most powerful armies falter when faced with conflicts in the homeland."

"True...but can you be certain of their loyalty to us?"

"Nothing in life is ever certain, my liege. However, there are degrees of probability, and were I foced to make a judgement on the situation I would place the likelyhood of our success as high as reasonably possible." Riev bowed his head slightly. "If you desire nothing else, your majesty, I shall take me leave."

"Very well," the King said, his silouette gesturing. "Inform the men that they shall march again withing the month."

"As you command," Riev complied, letting himself out. _"Excellent. All is going according to thy will, my Lord..."_

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That's all for now. Sorry for the lack of real plot advancement, but writing that duel was something I was looking forward to since I started this. Reviews are still much appreciated!


	5. Chapter 5 The Road to Renais

Fire Emblem The Unifying Ward

Chapter 5 The Road to Renais

insert obligatory disclamer here

After their rather fruitless (although highly amusing) duel, Kratos and Mia returned to the inn to find several of its denizens awake and about, including Kent. He acknoledged the pair with a stiff nod, although took notice when he saw Kratos' facial injury. "What happened to you?" he asked.

"I just got careless while we were training," Kratos replied. "It's nothing a little healing salve wouldn't take care of."

"Ah, but we've something a bit more efficent than that on hand here. Serra!" he called over his shoulder. Sure enough a few seconds later the outspoken cleric came bounding over.

"Yes, Kent?" she asked just a little too sweetly.

"Our friend here has sustained an injury. Can you help him?"

"What? You're making me work this early in the morning?" she whined. "I can't believe how cruel you can be to someone as delicate as I am!"

"Now, Serra. That's no way to treat our guests. If you do, I promise I'll do my best to make your load easier today."

"Fine, Mister Frumpy-Face," Serra conceded, palming her staff. "But you'd better be grateful." She extended the tip of the staff towards Kratos, slowly closing her eyes. A soft, blue light emmanated from the jewel encrested atop her instrument, then it enveloped him. He could feel the wound closing, the fire that had been burning there subsiding. Even his shoulder was feeling better.

"That's incredible," Kratos said, rolling his shoulders. "No matter how many times I get healed with one of thse staves, I still marvel at how effective they are."

"Hehe...amazing, aren't I?" Serra bragged. "You can feel free to praise me anytime. It's okay, I won't get embarrassed."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Kratos soothed. The last thing he needed was another one to go on and on about themselves. After a few minutes, a meal was served to the group. Having already spent more energy than they probably should have on their fight earlier, Kratos and Mia found themselves devouring their food voraciously.

"I had no idea you mercenaries had such an appetite," a slightly befuddled Kent commented.

"Heh, sorry," Mia answered. "We just used up a lot of energy training." She began to snicker quietly to herself, recalling the incident.

"Ah, I see..." the knight said. He paused for a moment. "Sir Kratos, if I may have a word with you?"

"Only if you don't call me "Sir" Kratos," Kratos replied.

"Fair enough. I was wondering if I and a companion of mine might join you on your journey to Renais."

"Excuse me?" Kratos asked, not sure if he had heard correctly. "Did you say you wanted to join me?"

"Yes, that is correct. We have some very important business in Renais. It is absolutely vital that someone from our group gets there. I don't want any of the others to have to endanger themselves on this journey. Most of them have families, and..."

"I understand," Kratos assured him. "What, if I may ask, is of such vital importance?" Kent hesitated before explaining.

"My lady and liege, the Lady Lyndis of Caelin, is there. I must find her, to ensure her safety," he paused, reflecting. "When the first of the Bern forces arrived, she deployed us to fight against them. However, when it was apparent that we had no real chance of victory, she ordered a full retreat. We made our was with all due speed to the Lycian/Renais border. I was met there by one General Seth, who assured me that she would be quite safe under the protection of the kingdom of Renais."

"However, we were then ambushed by a large battalion of Bern forces. My lady and I were seperated in the chaos of the ensuing battle. While me and my friends fought as hard as we could, not all of us made it. One of my best friends fell in that battle...he was a bit of a womanizer, but he had a good heart. At any rate, in the following days I have heard nothing about Lady Lyndis, which has me deeply concerned. I must go and ensure that she is safe. It is my duty as a knight of Caelin."

"So it is for this reason that I ask to join you," Kent finished. Kratos turned his request over in his head. Kent was obviously torn between his duty to the men here and his duty to his liege. He knew the decision to join him would not have been made lightly. Besides, the more swords he had pointed in the enemy's direction the better. "Very well," Kratos agreed. "You may join us if you wish."

"Excellent! I shall begin preparations to depart immediately!" he exclaimed, standing up. He strode quickly out of the room.

"An intersting fellow, that one," Lute spoke for the first time. Kratos was amazed. She had actually kept quiet? It was then he noticed that she was constantly glancing down as she ate. A quick glance revealed a large book sitting open on her lap.

_"Of course," _he thought. _"Her actually keeping quiet on her own is even less likely than what happened earlier..."_ he chuckled slightly. So, he'd added another member to his motley band of travelers. He wondered if he'd have his own private militia assembled before he reached Renais. _"Well, there's only one way to find out,"_ he told himself. Wait, hadn't Kent said something about bringing someone along...?

About an hour later, the three companions gathered outside the inn. They found Kent waiting for them, preparing his horse to ride. They also saw his companion.

Serra.

It was all Kratos could do to keep from audibly cursing. Sure, one crazy narcissist was okay, perhaps even humorous at times.Two of them would be enough to drive him completely insane, there was no question. _"Elimine, Ashunera, whichever one of the divinity deals with this sort of thing, please, grant me strength."_

"I STILL can't believe you're making me come with you," Serra complained as Kent loaded her up on his horse. "What happened to "easing my load" huh?"

"It could be worse," Kratos told her. "You could be down here walking with us instead." She seemed to contemplate this for a moment.

"I still shouldn't even be having to do this in the first place," she continued undeterred.

_"Should have known it wouldn't be that easy..." _ With a sigh, he decided to let it go. If nothing else, they had a healer now. That would make the journey a lot easier. At least physically. "So then, shall we be off?" Kratos asked. After a chorus of affirmations, the group set off towards the Etrurian Border.

"Are you all right, Boss?" Mia asked a few minutes in. "I know how much you hate this sort of thing..."

"Yeah, I'll be fine," he assured her, wishing he was as confident as he sounded._ "Why couldn't things have just stayed simple?" _he groaned internally. He had been doing just fine on his own. But then Bern had to go and invade Lycia and screw everything up. He gave a cursory glance over at Mia. _"Well, at least something good has come from all of this. I found was has to be the most interesting sparring partner on the face of the planet." _He paused, again wondering why in the world he'd thought that. Was there something wrong with him?

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Another exposition chapter, I know. Perhaps a little Mia/Kratos? You'll have to keep reading to find out...laughs manaically


	6. Chapter 6 Crossing the Border

Fire Emblem The Unifying War

Chapter 6 Crossing the Border

Disclaimer: I do not own Nintendo, Fire Emblem, or Intelligent Systems. If you thought I actually did, you're quite gullible.

Kratos was surprised at the remarkable pace at which the group traveled. Traveling from Caelin, the band of travelers was able to make it to the western border of Etruria in less than a week. The trip had been far from uneventful, however. They had come across a stream that they had needed to cross to continue. Kent had insisted that Serra dismount for the crossing, but Serra had said that there would be no need to bother, since the beast could do the work for her. Im the midst of the crossing, the horse had spooked, tossing her backside first into the water. After making sure she was unhurt, the group had had quite a considerable laugh at her expense.

Which, Kratos had decided in retrospect, was probably the biggest miscalculation of his life. She had spent the entirety of the next two days whining about how everyone hated her, and how she laid awake at night sobbing because no one appreciated her. Kratos found himself fighting the urge to sieze her by the neck and squeeze until she stopped struggling. He was only kept sane by his regular sparring matches with Mia, which were a much needed distraction. Had he not had her along, he was convinced that he would have become a murderer in the purest sense.

That was another thing. Somewhere along the line he had found himself looking forward to his matches with Mia, which in itself wasn't odd. The fact that he found himself making stupid jokes and laughing unneccessarily at things she said disturbed him. He had made it a point long ago that he wasn't going to fall into the trappings of a relationship with anyone. His life was his own, he saw no need to have to constantly cross check his decisions with another person. Yet, here he was, seeking her out. He knew that he couldn't be, dare he even think it, falling for her. But SOMETHING was amiss, to be sure. The scariest part of it all was that he wasn't sure he WANTED it to stop.

He found himself lost in this train of thought when he was jerked back to reality, nearly running over a befuddled Lute. Needless to say, she was quite irate, yelling at the top of her voice about how he had attacked her, demanding an explanation lest she fry him where he stood. He explained how he had been distracted and hadn't noticed her come to a halt in front of him and apologized profusely.

"Hmph..." she said, not sounding convinced. "I'll let you go, this time. However, be warned that my patience shall not extend should a second such incident occur."

"And again, I'm sorry," he said, backing away. The last thing he needed right now was to listen to Lute ramble on. It was then he belatedly noticed that the whole group had come to a stop. He looked up, noticing where the were. They were only about half a mark away from the Lycian/Etrurian border. He also took notice of several plumes of smoke arising on the horizon. He surmised that the source of these smoke columns would be Bern watch camps.

"And thus we meet with our problem," Kent said, hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "We need a way to sneak across the border, but with Bern so solidly encamped around it, the odds of us actually being able to are quite slim."

"You're right..." Kratos agreed, thinking. There was, of course, no chance they would make it across the border without incident. However, devising a plan that would allow them to create as little a scene as possible. _"And Kent had said that the Lycia/Renais border was even more heavily patrolled..." _It was then that a pair of voices could be heard.

"I thought you had said that you were certain that this road would lead us straight to Etruria without incident!" the first one said, adressing his companion. "But we finally get here and the place is crawling with Bern soldiers!"

"How was I supposed to know that they were going to deploy so many reinforcements in the past three days?" the second voice argued. "It's not my fault!"

"Now what are we supposed to do? It's of the utmost importance our message makes it to Count Reglay!"

"You think I don't know that? But now that we're here, there's nothing we can do about it."

"Wait a minute..." Mia began, uncertain. "Those voices...it couldn't possibly be..."

"You know them?" Kratos asked skeptically.

"It's possible," Mia replied. "There's only one was to find out I suppose." She took a deep breath. "THE LIGHT OF THE DAWN BRIGADE SHALL ILLUMINATE A FREE DAEIN ONCE MORE!!" she shouted.

"What? Who could possibly be here that would know that phrase?" the second voice asked.

"I don't know...be on your guard, it could be a trap. We reveal ourselves in three...two.." all of a suddensome bushes to the side of the road rustled and a pair of young men sprang forth, weapons held at the ready. Kratos' hand immediately fell to the hilt of his sword, but he didn't draw it when he saw Mia step forward and offer her hand to one of the men.

"It's been a long time," she said. "How's your swordwork coming along, Edward?"

"Oh, miss Mia!" he exclaimed, a bright smile illuminating his face as he took her hand. He was wearing a tattered red shirt and faded white pants. A sword was stapped to his side. "I've been doing quite well. I'm sure I could even give you a run for your money now!"

"Ah, Mia," the other man acknoledged, tossing her a salute. "It's a pleasure to see you again." He was wearing a plain blue shirt, with a small ammount of armor covering his chest. A quiver was situated on his back, he held a bow in his right hand.

"Likewise, Leonardo," Mia answered. "Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to two of my friends from a few years ago. These two are Edward and Leonardo, former members of the now famous Dawn Brigade that liberated the northeastern kingdom Daein from Begnion." Kratos was taken aback. Two famous men like these were randomly wandering about on the fringes of Lycian territory?

"You said something about getting to Etruria?" Kratos asked.

"Yes, we must get there. We have a message that our queen sent us to deliver," Edward replied. "If we don't get there, Bern may well be able to march straight across the continents unopposed."

"What?" Kratos was shocked at how casually Edward had revealed this information. What could Bern possibly have that would allow them to march completely unnopposed?

"Anyway, we were headig across Lycia when the invasion hit," Leonardo continued. "We've had quite a bit of difficulty in getting this far."

"Well, if you're heading to Etruria, we might as well cooperate," Kratos offered. "It's our destination as well, albeit only on transit to Renais." The pair looked at one another, then nodded.

"So, got a plan for getting across?" Leonardo asked him. He thought for a moment. Things had certainly just became more interesting. with the addition of an archer to their ranks, it certain did open up a myriad of strategies that weren't avaliable to them before...suddenly, inspiration struck.

"All right, I have it," Kratos said. "Leonardo, I want you and Lute to attack first. Lute, light his arrows on fire with your magic. Then I want you to start firing at their structures. We want to create as much chaos as possible. When they're all running around like panicked children, we'll charge straight through the middle and take out anyone foolish enough to get in our way."

"Sounds like as good a plan as any," Leonardo said, he and Lute getting into position. The pair did as they were instructed, targeting the largest stuctures first and working their way down. The attack had miraculous results. The Bern soldiers were scattering in every direction, not adhering to even the most basic military discipline. The rest of the group gave war cries and charged headlong into the enemy formation (if it could be called as such). In a matter of minutes they were through, having emerged relatively unscathed, apart from a few minor scapes and bruises, which were easily ammended by Serra's staff.

"Whew, Boss!" Mia called to him after they had put quite a bit of distance between them and the enemy. "That was something. I remember doing something like that a few years back with my old troop, but it didn't work nearly as well as that did. That was great!"

"They were taken completely by surprise," Kratos said. "They had no reason to expect a surprise attack from THAT side of the border." He paused, letting out a long sigh. "Although I must admit, I wasn't expecting things to go THAT well."

"It must have just been our insane levels of talent," Mia said, chuckling. He laughed along with her, not really sure why he found the statement that funny.

_"Yet more evidence..."_ a voice said in the back of his mind. He quickly silenced it, certain that it was just the nervousness from the battle that made him laugh so hard. Yeah, that had to be it. _"But you've long since stopped being nervous about fighting..." _the voice insisted.

Curses.

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Well, there you have it. Kratos is getting in touch with his feelings, reluctantly. Reviews are still appreciated.:)


	7. Chapter 7 A Plot Revealed

Fire Emblem The Unifying War

Chapter 7 A Plot Revealed

Author's Note: For those of you that have asked, yes, Kratos is the Tales of Symphonia Kratos. And no, this time he's not a ZOMG SPOILERZ angel. He's just a regular guy...

Kratos trudged forward towards the estate of Count Reglay, a thousand different thoughts swirling about in his mind. What could Bern possibly have in store that would allow them to neutralize all resistance in their path? How on earth had he possibly gotten mixed up in all this? And the one that seemed to be screaming at him the loudest: What were his feelings towards a certain purple haired swordswoman?

He knew better than to focus on that now. There were much bigger things going on right now that some simple crush or whatever it was that he had developed for her. The fate of the continents themselves hung in the balance for Elimine's sake! But the more he tried to push it from his mind, the more insistent it became. _"You sure do know how to pick 'em, huh?" _Kratos thought, listening as Mia shared the events of their journey so far with the newest members of their group.

"How on earth did THAT happen?" Edward asked, facsinated by Mia's tale.

"We still haven't figured it out yet," Mia replied. "The only thing we could come up with is that the force of our weapons colliding caused us to lose our grips."

"I wish I could have been there to see that," he commented. "That would have been something."

"You have no idea," Kratos interjected. "Do you have any idea how much further it's going to be unil we reach Count Reglay's estate?" He asked, eager to change the subject. As fond as he was of that particular memory, it led him to thinking about HER more, and he knew that right now he had to focus on the task at hand. At least until things calmed down...

"I'd say we're about half a day's journey away," Leonardo answered. 'He's expecting us, so we shouldn't have too many problems geting in to see him."

"Really?" Serra's eyes lit up. "Finally? Great! Now I won't have to sleep on the cold, hard ground anymore! You've no idea what havoc these conditions have been wreaking on my delicate frame. I'll have you know that..." Kratos zoned out. He had discovered recently that emptying his mind and allowing himself to drift was quite an effective shield against a Serra ramble. Of course, letting his mind wander often brought him back to things he wasn't ready to face...a Catch 22 if he'd ever encountered one.

At any rate, the group pressed on. Leonardo's assessment proved accurate, and at about a quarter mark past four they arrived at the mansion of one Count Pent Reglay, current Mage General of Etruria. Leonardo and Edward approached the gate, where they were stopped by the guards stationed there. "Halt!" one of them called, gestruing with his lance. "State your business."

"We are envoys sent by Queen Micaiah of Daein," Leonardo answered. "We have been instructed by her royal Highness that we are to deliver a message of the gravest importance to the Mage General."

"Is that so?" the guard said, skepticisim permiating his words. "And what proof do you bring?"

"I have it right here!" Edward declared, reaching into his pocket. He fumbled around for a few seconds, then moved on to his other pocket. When that search proved fruitless, a look of panic spread across his face. "I...I mean I thought I...oh man..."

"DON'T TELL ME YOU LOST IT?!" Leonardo bellowed.

"It's not my fault!!" Edward exclaimed, panicked. "It must have fallen out of my pocket one of those times we were running from those Bern soldiers that you got on our tails!"

"How was I supposed to know they'd just start attacking us for no real reason?!" Leonardo countered. The soldier was watching this display with a degree of annoyance. Just who were these idiots?

"My, my, what seems to be the fuss?" a delicate voice said from beyond the gate. The soldiers quickly whipped around and kneeled.

"My lady," the soldier said solemnly. "These two were here claiming to be envoys from Daein. They lack proof of this claim, so I was about to remove them."

"Envoys from Daein, you say?" she replied, stepping into view. She was clad in a light pink dress, a cape of similar coloration tied around her neck. A gentleness shone through her violet eyes. "We were expected some, yes. And you two claim to be those envoys?"

"Yes, Lady Louise," Leonardo answered, bowing his head slightly. "We come in the name of Queen Micaiah, XV Queen of Daein, as envoys bearing news of the gravest importance."

"I see..." she said, contemplating their statement. "Guards," she said, turning to the soldiers. "You are to allow these two and their companions into the mansion. My husband and I would hear their message."

"But my lady! These men lack proof of their identity and..."

"I believe what they say," she cut him off. "If they were spies, I highly doubt they would be traveling with such a large retinue," she indicated the rest of the group. "I'm sure that our own defenses will be enough to ensure our safety within our own home. Come inside," she said, motioning them forward. "Welcome to our home." The group stepped forward into the courtyard. It was magnificent, flowers and shubbery arranged in an intricate patter. Servants wandered to and fro, watering the flowers or trimming the hedges. _"Quite the fancy place..."_ Kratos thought.

Nothing on the outside, however, had prepared him for what lay within the mansion. High ceilings were supported by granite pillars, and his boots made a deep echoing sound as the clacked against the spotless marble floors. Artwork and sculptures of all kinds lined the walls as they followed Louise through the mansion. Eventually, they reached what appeared to be the main audience chamber.

"Wait here for a moment," Louise said. "I must announce you all to my husband." She departed inside, and the group was left on their own to marvel at the opulence of their surroundings.

"What a place!" Mia said, adressing Kratos. "I've not seen anything this fancy since I spent some time in the Begnion capital! Wow!"

"You've been to Sienne?" Kratos asked, amazed. Very few people ever got the chance to visit the capital of the Theocracy of Begnion.

"Yeah, it was back when I was with my old troop," she told him. "We spent a few months there as personal guests of the apostle herself." This made Kratos even more intrigued. Apostle Sanaki Kirsch Altina, Empress Begnion XXXIV, had extended an invitation to her palace to a group of mercenaries? He was about to ask her about this when a soldier stepped out of the audience chamber.

"You may now enter," he told the group. "Be warned, however. Do anything untoward and we will cut you down where you stand."

"Yes, we understand," Leonardo replied. The group made their way inside the chamber and were just as impressed by it as they had been the rest of the mansion. Various portraits lined the walls. One featured the Count and his wife standing together, smiling. Another featured the Countess holding a small child, a boy, in her arms. The final one that caught Kratos' attention was of the the Count, His wife, an older boy, and a small girl all standing together. His attention was brought back to reality by the Count adressing Leonardo.

"Speak your business," he said formally. "My wife tells me you are envoys from Daein."

"Yes, sir. We have come in her name to inform you of events most dire. If left unchecked, they could threaten not only Etruria but all free peoples across the world." This drew a murmor from the crowd of servants who were scattered around the audience chamber. Lord Pent silenced them with an upheld hand.

"What, pray tell, could prove to be so threatening?" he asked. "Surely you do not refer to the recent Bern invasion of Lycia. Bern may be formidable, but they hardly pose a threat to us all."

"Alone, no, they would not," Leonardo replied. "But they have enlisted some...darker powers. Queen Micaiah has sensed that they are seeking items of great power. Are you familiar with the Legendary Weapons?"

"Of course," Pent answered. "The weapons that the heroes of Elibe used to defeat Dragons back over a millinea ago in the Scouring. In fact, one of them rests here. Forblaze, the purest fire..."

"Yes, I've heard as much. Bern seeks to increase their power by collecting these sacred weapons and using them to do great harm. It was the reason they invaded Lycia. There were three of them resting there. They already possess Durandal and Armads. The Sol Katti, however, escaped, along with its wielder."

"Hmm...this situation is graver than I thoiught," the Count reflected.

"It gets worse. Through some unknown means, Bern has developed a method for draining the power of these weapons. Micaiah sensed this, and sent us here. She fears that they are somehow going to combine the energies of all the sacred weapons into an unstoppable super weapon."

"This is the second time you've said your Queen has "sensed" something." Louise stated. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"It may seem to strain credibility, but our Queen has the ability to see into the future," Leonardo explained. "I myself was skeptical at first, but having seen her proven correct time and time again has made me into a believer."

"I believe what you say is true. My old teacher had such an ability." Pent paused. "If what you say is true, them matters are dire indeed. I suppose we should expect Bern here eventually, if what you say is true." He stood up. "We thank you for this warning," he said. "Would you not have come, we would have had no inkling of what Bern was up to. Everyone," he adressed the rest of the room. "These travelers are to be treated as guests in my home. Rooms are to be prepared for them at once."

"Yes, my lord," came the reply. "We shall see to it at once." Kratos just stood there for a moment, not entirely sure what had just happened. Bern was draining the sacred weapons? How could such a thing even be possible? Finally, the Lycian invasion began to make sense. And after they had learned Lady Lyndis had fled to Renais, they had concentrated more of their troops there. He now had no doubt that Renais would be their next target. Not only was the Sol Katti there, Renais itself was in possession of two Sacred Weapons, Sieglinde and Sigmund.

"Someone had to warn them," Kratos muttered. "Bern can't be allowed to get away with this."

"Eh? Boss, you say something?" Mia asked.

"Yeah. Someone has to warn Renais. They're going to be Bern's next target. They have to be."

"That does make sense...so, do you think we can get there in time?" she had spoken the question so nonchalantly that Kratos almost missed the implications.

"Us? You think we should do it?"

"I don't see who else could do it," she replied. "We're the only ones that know of this plot. Besides, don't you have any sense of adventure?"

"Of course I do! I just...umm..." he paused, unable to think of what to say. He had known the instant he had come to that realization that he would have to be the one to do it. He had been fooling himself if he had thought otherwise. "You win," he said, relenting. "I should know better than to argue with you. As soon as you set your mind on something, that's it."

"And what exactly do you mean by that?" Mia asked.

"Oh, come on," Kratos said. "You and I both know you can be more obstinate than a Begnion Senator about some things. Not that I'm any better, but..."

"You..." he could hear the anger rising in her voice. He let out a small chuckle. She was so much fun to tease...when she finally realized he was just provoking her, she gave him a shove. "We'll see about that, Boss," she said. "You just wait..."

_"Oh, jeez. Last time she said something like that I had to listen to Lute ramblem for hours...what have I done?"_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

And that's all folks! I'm really enjoying writing this story. I hope you're enjoying reading it! If so, let me know in a review. Thanks!


	8. Chapter 8 Ambushed!

Fire Emblem: The Unifying War

Chapter 8 Ambushed!

Author's Note: Sorry about the lack of plot development the past few chapters. I've been distracted with the whole KratosxMia thing. I'll get back to the story now. (Don't expect me to stop writing about that however.:p)

The corridor in the dungeon of Bern Keep was dank and moist, smelling of mildew and decay. A feeling of hopelessness and despair permeated the walls, having borne witness to countless unspeakable horrors. Riev drew a sort of comfort from it, knowing that here he could operate with impugnity. Even the King Desmond himself rarely if ever ventured down here. Any sane individual would have tried to flee from this place of evil as soon as possible. For Riev, it was home.

His experiments had gone even better than he had planned. The power contained within the two sacred weapons they had plundered from Lycia was enormous. With this power, he was able to perform a feat that only one had accomplished before him. He had brought a soul back from the dead.

It had been a fleeting thing, of course. Such was the way of necromency; no matter how much power one had, sustaining a link permanent to a departed soul was all but impossible. However, he had managed to raise contact with several different spirits before the links had faded. It had been stronger and longer lasting with each subsequent attempt, however. And with new tools due to be delivered to him soon, he knew there was no where for his research to go but forward.

He smiled, although it didn't bring with it the warm, positive look most associate with it. It was the smile of a predator that had caught his quarry anawares. _"People are so easy to manipulate," _ he thought. All he had had to do to achieve his status was appear before the King and spin him a wonderful tale about using the Sacred Weapons to forge a supreme, unstoppable force, which had been true, in a sense. Greed was a powerful ally, one he could use to play different factions off one another whilst always driving towards his own ends. Or rather, his master's ends.

_"Soon," _he gloated. _"Once th_e _Sacred Weapons have been collected and their power is mine, I will have more than enough power to resurrect you, my master." _He thought about their next target, Renais. Oh, how wonderful it would be to see those sniveling twins brought low! Once their lands were in flames, their people dying, he would reveal himself to them, and end them personally. How delicious it would be to end those who had done him such wrongs...

OOO

Serra had alawys been one to indulge in all the latest gossip. During her travels, she had always been in the know about who was fond of who, who was angry at who, things of that nature. So when she had noticed how Kratos had been acting towards Mia, she knew she had to investigate.

It had been three days since she had noticed, the first time being in the masion of Count Reglay. She had noticed how Kratos got very nervous when speaking to her, how he laughed uneccessarily at her jokes. Fortunately for him (or perhaps not), Mia hadn't seemed to notice a thing. The only thing she seemed to care about was swordsmanship. "_That won't do!" _she cried internally. Such naiveity couldn't be wholly blamed on her, though. She had known plenty of people who wouldn't have realized another cared for them if they hadn't had it completely spelled out for them. But Kratos seemed far too shy, or stubborn, to admit his feelings to her directly. Serra knew that is was up to her if anything was to come of it.

OOO

"It sure is great being able to travel again without having to constantly look over my shoulder," Kratos commented, streching as he looked up into the cloudless sky. "Things are certainly much easier without having to constantly be on alert for an attack."

"I agree," Kent said, striding alongside him. "Without a Bern presence to be wary of, we are making excellent time. I'd say we'd reach the Renais border by tomorrow at our current pace."

"It's been a little dissapointing though," Mia added, joining them.

"What makes you say that," Kratos asked, surprised.

"Well, now that we're in the clear essentially, we aren't getting to teach those guys any more lessons. I didn't like getting caught by them, but showing 'em who was boss every now and then was fun." Kratos paused for a moment, reflecting on what she had said. While he certainly hadn't looked forward to fighting Bern, he did have to admit to himself that he had drawn a degree of satisfaction from defeating them time after time. Again, he was troubled. _"She must be rubbing off on you," _that voice that had been pestering him for the past few days said.

"I was expecting Count Reglay to send us some reinforcements," Edward said, adding to the conversation.

"He had to prepare the defense of his homeland," Leonardo answered. "That's the reason why we're here; once we've contacted Renais and he's finished preparations, we'll link up with him and drive Bern back."

"Don't worry, Edward," Lute soothed. "Should we get in any sticky situations, you needn't be concerned. My power will be more than enough to deal with any situation that may present itself."

_"I am superior, after all," _Kratos recited the conclusion to this particular speech in perfect unison with her. He chuckled slightly, having recalled how annoyed he'd first been by the diminuative mage. Now, he looked forward to her little speeches. They were a vast improvement over Serra's monologues. Speaking of which, he had noticed that she had been uncharcteristically quiet (At least by her standards) ever since they had left the Count's estate. Perhaps the divinities had decided his trial was over. Although he only entertained that thought for a moment. He knew the instant he allowed himself to believe so his fate would become twice as bleak as it had been before.

OOO

After proceeding towards Renais as far as they could that day, the group settled down and prepared their camp for the night. Kratos stared at the flickering light of the campfire, his mind not really focused on much of anything. He then heard footsteps approaching him from behind. His combat reflexes kicked in, prompting him to draw his sword and point it towards the throat of the offending party. A shrill scream rang out as the unkown person stumbled backwards, waking a few of the others. He sheathed his sword immediately as he realized who it was.

"Oh, Serra," he said, reaching out his hand to help the frightened cleric to her feet. "I apologize if I startled you."

"Startled?! STARTLED?!" she cried, slapping his hand away as she pulled herself up. "You nearly kill me and all you say is you STARTLED me?!" The others, now aware of what was going on, had rolled back over, attempting to reclaim their rest.

"Listen, if you wish to yell at me, could we do it elsewhere? The others need their sleep..."

"Hmph...very well," she conceded. The two proceeded a few dozen feet away from the camp.

"Again, I apologize. It's merely years of reflex that prompted me to attack you in such a way. I don't know what else to say."

"After that little display, I've half a mind to go ahead and do what I was going to do anyway." she said, although she seemed a bit less angry than before. That was something at least.

What she had actually said then struck Kratos. "What are you talking about?" he asked, confused. "What were you planning to do?"

"Don't play dumb with me," Serra answered. "I've seen the way you've been acting around her."

"I...don't know what you mean."

"Oh please, Kratos. You've got eyes for Mia," she chided. "Don't worry, there's nothing to be ashamed of. I think it's rather cute." Kratos froze, not knowing what to say. If he admitted it to her, he'd have to finally admit it to himself. On the other hand, flatly denying it would probably just make her mad, causing her to go and blab to Mia.

"Let's say what you claim is true," he said, finally collecting himself. "Why do you care? Is there any reason for this little confrontation?"

"Of course there's a reason," she replied. "I want to help you out." This was quite shocking. Serra, wanting to help someone?

"And how exactly would you go about doing that?"

"Well, I'd start by nosing around and finding out how she feels about you," Serra explained. "I know you haven't the courage to say anything yourself, otherwise you would have." he tried to protest but came up short. He couldn't argue with her.

"Alright, perhaps I'm interested," Kratos said, trying to be as noncommital as possible. "What do you want in return?"

"Nothing really," she answered. "Just your gratitude...and perhaps you to remember this should I ever need a favor." Translation: she hadn't made up her mind yet what she wanted.

"Hmm...very well," he agreed. "But you must make it clear you're not asking on my behalf."

"Of course," she replied. "Discretion is my specialty." He cringed internally, knowing exactly just how "discreet" Serra could be. He was snapped out of this daydream by an arrow that suddenly whizzed by, sticking in the ground no more than a foot to his left. "What in...?" he said sharply, another arrow landing to his right. "Curses! An ambush!" He yelled, grabbing Serra by the arm and running to wake the others. He had no idea who this unkown enemy was, but he knew that he and his companions were at a distinct disadvantage. This wasn't good...

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

ZOMG CLIFFHANGERS!! I decided to more clearly illustrate scene transitions as even I was having a slight ammount of difficulty detecting them myself. Anyways, reviews are, as always, appreciated!


	9. Chapter 9 Enveloped in Darkness

Fire Emblem: The Unifying War

Chapter 9 Enveloped by Night

Author's Note: Sorry about the delay. The Fourth called me away from my work on this. Hope you've enjoyed it so far guys!

The situation had quickly escalated. No fewer than thirty enemies had revealed themselves after the initial volley, weapons drawn and ready to attack. Kratos knew that if they had any hope of survival they were going to have to be smart about their defense.

"Serra!" Stay behind me!" He snapped. Yes, her safety was of the utmost importance. He didn't harbor any delusions about them getting through this engagement unscathed. To have her on hand with her staff afterwards was going to be integral.

"Ye-yes..." she agreed. The others took up an encircling formation around her, Lute, and Leonardo. While formidable, the two ranged attackers lacked the skills to deal with opponents effectively in melee combat. By staying behind the others, they played to one another's strengths.

The first of the enemies charged forward with murderous intent. A pair fell before they reached the group, silenced by magic and arrows. Kratos found himself faced with another sword wielder. He set himself to recieve the incoming attack, interposing his sword between himself and his attacker's blade. He snapped a swift kick into the man's abdoment, causing him to double over. He siezed the opporitunity to slice the man open from abdomen to groin.

Another foe quickly closed with him, brandishing a lance. He stabbed towards Kratos from several different angles. Kratos was able to turn aside his thrusts, but he knew that his options for counter attacking were severly limited if he were to maintain his position. He also knew that he couldn't afford to move, lest he risk the safety of the others. He bit out a curse and stood his ground, determined not to allow any harm to befall his companions. His opponent stepped forward, preparing another strikes...

He was then rewarded by a sudden flash of light as a bolt of lightning fell from the sky and struck the man, sending him spiraling down in a twitching, charred mess. Another pair of enemies charged forward, one with a sword, another carrying an axe. They attacked almost smiultaneously, leaving Kratos unable to counter both. The sword wielder opened a gash across his left arm as Kratos cut down the other opponent. Smirking, the sword weilder drove his blade forward, attempting to skewer Kratos' chest cavity. Kratos let out a pained yell and rolled forward, underneath the attack. He stabbed upwards, achieving much the same result his opponent had hoped for. He stood up, placing a foot on the man's chest and driving him off his blade.

His arm felt as though he had set it afire. Blood gushed out of it at an alarming rate. He surmised that his earlier acrobatics had served to tear the wound open even further. He was then overtaken by a soft blue light. He could feel the wound closing, his sudden convalescence due to Serra's intervention. While the pain of the wound was gone, he still felt drained. Due no doubt to the blood he'd lost: no amount of healing would replace that. He gave the situation a quick appraisal. Most of the enemies had been defeated, the few that remained deciding to cut their losses and retreat. Kratos let out a long sigh, sheathing his blade. They had survived...barely. The others all bore cuts and bruises form their skirmish, but weren't critically injured.

"Boss!" Mia called, running over to him. "You all right?"

"Yeah..." he replied, weary. He was just glad it was over.

"Who were they?" she asked. "They didn't appear to be Bern soldiers.

"You're right," he agreed. "For one thing, they bore no insignia or standard issue armor. And they didn't fight on fanatically to the last man like Bern. No, I'd say they were probably mercenaries hired to come after us by Bern. They knew there was no way they could operate within Etruria's border without severe reprecussions, so they hired these guys to come after us. Clever..." he trailed off, an icy fist closing around his heart. A wounded archer had somehow managed to stagger to his feet, notching an arrow and aiming directly for Mia.

"LOOK OUT!!" he shouted, throwing himself at her. She grunted in surprise as he sprawled on top of her. Pain exploded in Kratos' lower back as the arrow found a mark. He coughed, spitting up a mixture of saliva and blood. The enemy fell, a satisfied smirk crossing his face.

"BOSS!!" Mia cried, taking him in her arms.

"Are you all right?" He looked up at her, concern crossing his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Boss. But you, you're hurt...bad."

"It doesn't matter," Kratos said. "So long as you're okay..." his voice was losing strength. "Make sure...Renais is warned..."

"No, Boss!!" she cried. "You can't die here...not like this...someone, help! Get over here, quick!" The others quickly surrounded them, Serra pulling out her staff and reciting her prayers as quickly as she could. His wound closed, but his consciousness faded. "Boss? BOSS!!"

OOO

Several hours had passed since the battle. Dawn was breaking, and the entire camp was filled with a sense of dread. The fate of one of their companions hung in the balance. Kratos had survived, physically. But it had been a very near thing. He now lay inside one of the tents, unconscious. Kent had volunteered to keep watch over him should he awaken. Mia had been sitting silently alone since the incident, her knees drawn up close to her chest. Edward had become concerned about her.

"Do you think she's gonna be all right?" Edward whispered to Leonardo.

"I don't know," he answered. "I'd say she's probably blaming herself for what happened."

"Why? It wasn't her fault that Kratos was injured. She shouldn't be mad at herself for it."

"Don't you understand anything?" Leonardo asked rhetorically. "She blames herself because Kratos took that arrow protecting her. She thinks that if she had been faster, or paying more attention, she wouldn't have needed saving. It's not true, of course, but a grief-racked mind can be prone to astounding lapses in logic."

Edward fell silent, contemplating this. Had Leonardo or any of his other companions taken an injury on his behalf, he'd probably have the same doubts and fears playing themselves through his mind as well. " I just hope he makes it, for both their sakes." he said quietly.

"As do I," Leonardo agreed somberly. As do I."

OOO

Kratos found himself wandering through a vast expanse. He had no recollection of how he had gotten there or where he was. He remembered something about a battle, he and his companions fighting fiercely...a brief but incredibly intense flash of concern...and then drifting into a deep sleep. "Am I dead?" He asked aloud.

"Closer than you'd probably like to be," a voice said from behind him. He looked around and saw the owner of the voice. She wore a simple white dress, her long brown flowing gently down her back. She looked at him with cool blue eyes. "It's been far too long, my love."

"Anna!" He cried, rushing over to envelop her in a hug. "Is it really you? If it his, how can this be? I have so many things to tell you, I don't know where to begin. I..."

"We'll have time for that later," she said, taking his hands in hers. "For now, dear, we cannot stay together. You still have things you must do."

"What?" Kratos asked, bewildered. He was finally meeting her again after so long, and she was pushing him away?

"Don't worry, my love. When the time comes, we'll be reunited once more. For now, we must part ways. The people of the world still need you. She needs you, although she doesn't realize it yet." She let out a small giggle.

"What are you talking about?" Kratos asked, but she was beginning to fade away. "Anna!"

"Remember, I will always love you," she said, disappearing completly from view.

"Wait! Anna! ANNA!!" He suddenly felt himself being jerked away from this strange place, hurtiling through a strange tunnel...

OOO

He sat bolt upright, sweat pouring off him. He looked around quickly, taking note of his surroundings. He was inside a tent, the cool morning air blowing in towards him.

"Sir Kratos!" a familiar voice said beside him. "You're awake!"

"Wait...what...? What happened...?" A surge of awareness filled him. "Kent! Is Mia okay? Did I...?"

"Yes, she's fine," he assured Kratos. "You did a very noble thing. Had you not intervened, she may not have survived."

"Where is she? I need to talk to her-" he attempted to get up, but his body wouldn't cooperate. "Revenant's black bones!" he hissed as pain shot through his entire form.

"Don't move," Kent advised him. "You'll tear your wound open again. I'll fetch her immediately," Kent, departed. He was left alone, given a moment to collect his thoughts. Had he really somehow communicated with her? Or had that all been just a dream? He really didn't know. All he knew for certain, though, was that his was glad to be alive.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Exotensionalisim ahoy!! Anyways, that's all for now. And before you gripe, I know the whole "Secret Service" plot device is overdone. If I cared, I wouldn't have wrote it.:p R & R is always appreciated!


	10. Chapter 10 Convalescence

Fire Emblem: The Unifying War

Chapter 10 Convalescence

Author's Note: Wow, chapter 10 already? Anyways, I promise I'm about to put the mushy stuff on the shelf for a bit and get to the killings. Thanks for reading everyone!

Mia sat alone, lost in her thoughts. _"How could I have been so stupid? If I hadn't, things wouldn't have ended up like this...now my best friend lies teetering on the edge of death." _Wait a minute. Best friend? _"Obviously he thinks of you as HIS best friend. Otherwise he wouldn't have taken that arrow for you." _The thought struck her hard, the implications of it swirling through her mind at a torrid pace. _"He cares about you a great deal." _The incident came back to her again.

_"LOOK OUT!!" he shouted, throwing himself at her. She grunted in surprise as he sprawled on top of her. She looked in horror as the arrow the enemy had fired found a mark, boring deep into Kratos' back. He coughed, spitting up a mixture of saliva and blood. The enemy fell, a satisfied smirk crossing his face. _

_"BOSS!!" Mia cried, taking him in her arms. _

_"Are you all right?" He looked up at her, concern crossing his face._

_"Yeah, I'm fine, Boss. But you, you're hurt...bad."_

_"It doesn't matter," Kratos said. "So long as you're okay..." _

_OOOOO_

_"He values your life more than his own," _she thought. _"Such a radical change from when I first met him. What's going on? How could he have changed so much? Unless..." _she quickly tore herself away from that thought. This was certainly no time to be contemplating the romantic implications of his manner and actions. He could very well die and it would be her fault. She was suddenly consumed with an overwhelming urge to start crying. She was about to being doing so when a voice called out to her.

"Lady Mia! Lady Mia!" the voice said, approaching her. Kent, she realized.

"Wha...what is it?" she replied, choking back the tears.

"It's Kratos. He's awake!" he exclaimed.

"What?" Mia yelled, feeling as though her heart had just exploded with joy. "Really? Can I see him?"

"Certainly," Kent answered. "In fact, that was the reason I came. Kratos said he needed to speak to you."

"Oh! All right then, what are we waiting for!" she cried, running as fast as her legs would take her. She hadn't felt this relieved in ages. A million different things rushed through her head as she ran towards the tent where he lay. What was she going to say to him?

OOOOOOO

Kratos had found a reasonably comfortable position in the cot he had been afforded. At least laying like this, parts of him didn't ache as badly as they had before. He was still shaken by the vision he had experienced moments before. Anna had told him he was still needed in this world. What could she mean? At best, he would be able to kill a few enemies, perhaps save a life or two. His survival wouldn't truly make that great a difference in the flow of how events played out, would it?

He was jerked out of this train of thought by the sudden arrival of a certain purple-haired swordswoman. "BOSS!!" she exclaimed, rushing forward and giving him a huge hug. "You're alive!"

"SANDS OF JEHANNA!!" he cried, her grip on him sending waves of pain throughout his entire form.

"Oh, heh, sorry about that, Boss," she apologized, releasing him. She took a step back and sat down beside the bed. "So, how do you feel?"

"Parts of me hurt less than others, if that means anything," he replied. "I had no idea just how painful a direct shot from an arrow was. Remind me to never anger Leonardo..."

"I will, Boss," she replied, chuckling. "That makes two I owe you," she said, her voice becoming much more serious."

"It's nothing," Kratos assured her.

"No, it is not NOTHING," she replied indignantly. "You've saved my life twice, and I owe you for it. Whether you think so or not." She crossed her arms firmly. "The first time was circumstantial. You saved me almost by accident. But not this time. You even put your own life at risk for me. I don't know where you come from, but I was always taught to repay those who help me. So that's what I'm gonna do."

"That's not a problem, of course," Kratos said, shifting to look at her despite his body's protests. "I'd be more than happy to have you along, wherever this insane journey takes us. We'll face whatever happens...together. Alright?"

"Together," she agreed, extending her hand towards him. He took it, giving it a firm shake. He realized later what a monumental step that had been for him. At the time, however, it had been a simple promise made by two friends facing the uncertainties of war. She got up and turned to leave.

"Get well soon, Kratos," she said, pausing at the tent's exit. "I don't need you getting rusty on me."

"You needn't worry about that," he replied, having done this whole song and dance many times before. Still he appreciated her attempt to bring levity to the situation. Indeed, he would have to get better soon, He had no intentions of disappointing her.

OOOO

Kratos was as good as his word. After a couple more days of resting, he finally made his way out to join the others. They had all stopped by from time to time, even Lute, citing that observing the recovery of the injured would be useful for furthering her somewhat limited grasp of healing staves. The whole group was surprised to see him on his feet, sword stapped to his side and ready to travel.

"What are you doing?" Mia asked, concerned. "You're not in any shape to be up."

"I think I'll be the one to judge that," he replied. "I'm tired of being a burden and holding everyone back. We've got an important mission to complete." He silenced any further questioning with an upheld hand. "I'm not going to listen, so don't even bother. Let's get going. We've lost too much time here as it is." He knew better than to think he was up to full speed, but he didn't anticipate any further attacks. They were but a couple of days from the Etrurian/Renais border, and they had to get there as quickly as possible. If Bern were to launch an attack on Renais before they got there, their mission will have been for nothing.

After another few days of traveling, they reached their destination. The capital of Renais lay before the group at long last.

"We're finally here!" Edward exclaimed. "The capital city of Renais. And since we've yet to hear anything of any Bern attacks, I'd surmise our mission is a success." Kratos was inclined to agree. At last, something was going right. Maybe they'd have a chance after all. The group arrived at the gates of Castle Renais. After showing proof of their identites as messengers of Count Reglay of Etruria, they were ushered in quickly. They made their way through the castle to the main audience chamber. It was indeed an impressive sight, the floor covered with a lush velvet carpet. In the room sat two thrones, each one occupied by one of the famous Twins of Renais.

_"Ephraim and Erika,"_ Kratos thought. Countless tales had been told through the land of how they had won back their homeland after a senseless invasion quite similar to recent events. They were reputed to be very kind and benevolent rulers, caring for the needs of the common folks. _"The same cannot be said of all their subjects, however..." _the bitter memory of his departure from the knights rose in him, but he put it down. Now wasn't the time for that.

Leonardo began to explain recent events to the two rulers, relating to them their flight from Lycia and the details of Bern's objective. They listened intently, occasionaly one leaning to the other to whisper something. Finally, Ephraim spoke up.

"This is indeed a grave tale," he said solemnly. "It does, however, explain quite a bit. It gives reason to why Bern would suddenly invade a nation it considered a friend and ally. We know all too well the pain of such things." He paused, surveying the group. "And you were able to slip through Bern's defenses and reach us here?"

"Barely," Kratos spoke up. "We've had quite the ordeal getting here. We were hounded at every turn by those who wished to silence us before we were able to deliver our message to you. That alone, if nothing else, should lend some creedence to our claims."

"Indeed," Erika replied. "Very well. We shall offer you all refuge within the castle for now. Rest, friends. The coming battle will no doubt be a difficult one."

"Of that, there appears to be little doubt." Ephraim agreed. "Men, see to it these travelers are taken care of. They are to be treated as guests in our home." A chorus of acknoledgements came back, and they were again whisked away to find their lodgings. The whole affair seemed to be whirling along so quickly, Kratos had barely known what happened when he found himself alone in the room he had been assigned. He let out a long sigh and eased down onto the bed. _"Never thought I'd come back to Renais this way..."_

OOOOOOOOOO

Finally, they arrive!! Anyways, I know, it's another exposition chapter. But the plot is going to take a major step forward in the next chapter, I assure you. Thanks for reading this so far everyone!


	11. Chapter 11 A Nation Divided

Fire Emblem: The Unifying War

Chapter 11: A Nation Divided

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who's been reading so far! I hope you're enjoying it. Anyways, let's get to it shall we?

Kratos laid awake, unable to sleep. Being back here was difficult, after all that had happened. He let out a long sigh and rolled over, trying to get comfortable. There was no use in constantly reliving the past, he had decided long ago. The here and now was all that mattered. Yet, the more he told himself that, the more empty and hollow it sounded. The bitterness and anger he felt were far too strong to quell with simple logic.

As he attempted to force those feelings out of his mind, a soft knock came at his door. _"Who could be here at this hour?" _he thought, confused. He got up and strode over to the door, "Who is it?"

"It's me, boss," came the muffled reply. "Can I come in?"

_"Mia? What could she need?_" he asked himself. "Yes, of course," he said instead, opening the door. She came in quietly and sat down on one of the chairs scattered about the room. He followed suit, perching on the edge of his bed. "So...what is it?"

"Well..." she seemed unsure of herself. "I noticed you've been...fidgety ever since we arrived here. You've been distracted, like your mind's been somewhere else. I was just wondering if something was wrong?"

"Has it really been that obvious?"

"Boss, I'd have to have been blind not to see it. Everyone else said the same thing too."

Kratos drew a deep breath and paused, trying to collect himself. He knew there was no way she was going to give up until she got the answers she was looking for. It was one of the things he liked about her, yet now he was wishing it weren't so. "Very well...but it's a long story."

"I've got the time," she replied.

"All right. This goes back more years than I care to admit, several years before any of the major conflicts. I was a young, foolish man with dreams of glory and splendor. I joined the Knights of Renais in hopes of protecting my nation and winning personal glory. I see now what folly this was. At any rate, it was during my service that I met my wife."

"Your wife?" Mia asked, fascinated. "I didn't know you were married."

"Yes, well, I hadn't told you about it, so there was no way for you to know." he answered. "At any rate, we were madly in love. Anna and I had intended to settle down and start a family soon, after my next assignment. My next duty was to be a simple mission, one that seemed rather pointless to me and the other knights. However, many of our missions had felt this way and we were quite used to it. All I wanted to do was complete our mission quickly and get back home.

"We completed our assigned task and came back home...only to find our village lying in ruin. Not a single structure remained standing. I was distraught, panicked. It wasn't until after three hours of frantic searching that my worst fears had been realized. I found Anna lying there, barely alive. I tried desperately to save her, applying all the first aid procedures I had been taught. But it was to no avail, her wounds were simply too severe. I held her in my arms as her life slipped away. I still remember the last thing she said to me. She said, "Don't allow yourself to give in to despair, no matter how difficult it was."

"We found out later that the village had been attacked by bandits while we had been away. After a bit of digging the others and I found out which bandit group had been responsible. We decided that we were going to have our revenge on them for what they had done. But just as we were about to head out, we were approached by a messenger from the local ruling lord. He forbade us from going after the bandits, saying that such an action in no way served Renais. Needless to say we were outraged. It was then and there that I resigned my position as a Knight and recieved a discharge."

"I was set on going after them myself. I knew that there was no realistic chance for me to survive against an entire horde of bandits, but at that point I cared little. If I was killed, after all, Anna and I would be reunited. It was then the impact of her final words hit me. She had been admonishing me not to do such a thing, to be consumed by revenge. This was easier said than done, but I was determined not to betray her trust in me. I wouldn't fail her a second time."

"So I decided the only way I was going to be able to keep myself sane would be to travel the lands as a mercenary. If I could keep moving, I could keep the pain at bay." He paused. "Now I realize how much of a coward I was. Running from the pain did nothing except make it more difficult to live with. I should have faced reality and dealt with it." He slammed his fist down on the bed in anger.

"You're far too hard on yourself," Mia said, trying to calm him down. "If I had been in your position, I probably wouldn't have been able to keep myself from wildly rushing after vengence. You're strong, Kratos. A lot stronger than you realize."

"You think so?"

"I know it," she shifted her weight forward. "Listen, there's no reason you have to endure all that pain by yourself. We made a promise, remember? We're here to help each other, and if that means you've got to tell me about your problems, so be it."

"Mia..." he said, trailing off. Here she was, offering to help him with no promise of a reward or any favors in exchange. This was something he wasn't used to. Almost every mercenary he had met in his travels were nothing but petty, self-serving individuals who put themselves before everything else. He'd even been that way himself for Elmine's sake. But she was different. She lived and died by her word, and it was something she never gave lightly.

"You're right, of course," he said locking eyes with her. "I've been foolish. There's no reason for me to keep on suffering alone when I have such good friends who are willing and able to support me. Thank you. With every fiber of my being I mean that."

"It's no problem," she said, standing. "Just remember, if you ever need to tell me anything, I'll listen."

"I'll keep that in mind," he said and he meant it. "And one more thing. I fully intend to resume our sparring sessions very soon. I've no intentions of falling behind my archrival."

"Heh, now you're speaking my language, Boss," Mia replied, a mischieveous tone permeating her words. "You'd better be sure you're ready for it though. I don't hold back for anyone."

"Yeah, yeah, I know all about that," Kratos said, rising. "Go get some sleep. We're gonna need all the rest we can get in the next few days."

"Alright, you're the boss, after all," she said, starting towards the door. She was almost completly out of the room when she paused. "Good night...Kratos," she said, leaving.

"Good night, Mia." He replied, closing the door behind her. _"Wait, she actually called me by my name? What's going on here?"_

OOOO

The next morning came a lot earlier than it should have, in Kratos' opinion. After his talk with Mia, he'd found that most of the anxiety he'd been feeling had drained away, but it had been replaced by curiosity, which had been just as if not more distressing. By the time he'd finally fallen asleep he was certain that it had to be about a quarter mark past three, which made waking up at five rather difficult. He managed, though. He was determined not to be held back any longer.

What had surprised him was the fact that a brand new sword lay propped against his door when he exited. Along with the blade a note had been attached: "As an advance payment for services rendered." He smiled, unsheathing the blade and giving it a few swings. It was a bit heavier than his current weapon, but he didn't find himself impeeded by it. Satisfied, he clipped the sword to his belt, leaving his other blade behind. It had served him well, but he had noticed that it was beginning to become worn and blunted.

He wandered around the castle for a bit, trying to find his way to the dining hall. After about fifteen minutes of fruitless searching he was about to give up. "Looking for something?"a voice asked from behind him. He spun around quickly to see the source of the question. She was a young woman, perhaps in her early twenties. She sported a traditional Sacaean robe, split high up her legs to allow greater mobility. Her dark green eyes matched the hue of her hair, which she had pulled back into a long ponytail. He took note of the wicked katana she had at her side.

"Yes, I was trying to find my way to the dining hall," he replied. "But this castle is so massive, I seem to be having quite a bit of difficulty."

"I understand," she said, gesturing for him to follow her. "When I first arrived here, I had much the same problem. It took me a full week to learn my way around this place."

"Thank you for your assistance," Kratos replied, falling in behind her. The pair was silent for a bit as they weaved their way through corridor after corridor. Kratos finally broke the silence. "So you're new around here as well?"

"Yes," she answered, turning around another corner. "I arrived here a few weeks ago. I was...displaced by the Lycian invasion."

"As was I," Kratos said, curious. "I'm Kratos, by the way."

"Lyn," she replied quickly. "Lyn of the Lorca tribe."

_"Lyn...? Lyndis? Could it be...?"_

"Say Lyn," Kratos began. "You wouldn't happen to be acquainted with a knight named Kent, would you?"

"Kent?" she asked, a spark of recognition in her voice. "You know of him?"

"Yes," Kratos said. "He was one of my companions on my journey here from Lycia. An honorable man."

"What? Really?" Her voice filled with excitement. "He's here? Now?"

"Yes, he's here," Kratos replied. "We arrived here yesterday. He should be in one of the guest quarters around here."

"Wonderful!" she started to leave, but stopped when she realized she was abandoning Kratos. "Oh, that right. The dining hall is down this corridor and on the right. Good day, Kratos." And with that, she was gone.

_"Hmm...interesting girl," _Kratos thought as he followed her instructions. After grabbing a bite to eat, he headed out into the castle courtyard. Not surprised, he saw Mia there, swinging her sword about in her usual drills. "Hey there," he called to her.

"Hi!" she exclaimed, putting her sword away and coming over to him. "You ever get to sleep?"

"Eventually," he said, eyeing her new weapon. It was a long, thin sword with a curved edge. He knew that while it wouldn't offer the sheer power of a traditional sword, its design made it much easier to slip past an opponent's guard and score a hit. "That's a fine blade," he commented.

"Isn't it though?" she agreed proudly. "I've been wanting a sword like this for a long time, but I haven't been able to afford it. I'm gonna take extra care of it so it'll last as long as possible."

"I don't blame you. I got a new sword as well," he said, drawing the blade. "A bit heavier than my previous one, but not so much as to slow me down any." He looked at her for a moment. "You wanna try these out?"

"You mean here? Now? Aren't you still injured?"

"I'm just about at 100 percent," Kratos said. "I'm ready any time you are. Unless of course, you're afraid."

"You know how to get me riled up don't you?" she asked rhetorically. "Fine. You'd better be ready!" The pair rushed at each other, swords drawn and ready. They were about to clash when a loud blast came from a nearby watchtower. It repeated again, and Kraos belatedly recognized it as an alarm. The castle was under attack!

"Come on!" He shouted, rushing to find a position where he could see what was afoot.

"You don't have to tell me twice," she replied, following him stride for stride. When they reached the interior of the castle, soldiers were running to and fro about the place, making preparations for defense. Kratos grabbed one by the arm and asked what was going on.

"We're under attack! There are hundreds of citizens marching on the castle as we speak. And the Bern army is behind them!"

"What?!" Kratos yelled. The citizens were rising up against them as well? What sort of madness was this? "Mia! We've got to get a better view of what's happening."

"If you want to see it, go up that staircase," the soldier offered. "But I've got to get going! We don't have any time to waste!"

"Thanks for your help," Kratos said, rushing up the staircase. The pair finally reached the top, and were met with a sickening sight. The castle was completely surrounded by enemies. They had to be at least a hundred deep on all sides. The piercing screeches of wyverns could be heard in the distances as well, implying even more enemies were on the way.

"This looks bad," Kratos murmured, and Mia agreed. How were they gonna get out of this one?

OOOOO

Finally, the enemy shows up! Anyways, my biggest battle effort to date will soon be penned. Thanks for reading everybody!


	12. Chapter 12 Desperate Struggle

Fire Emblem: The Unifying War

Chapter 12 Desperate Struggle

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay guys! I've been distracted by the actual Fire Emblem games the past couple of days. Anyways, to war!

Kratos and Mia hurried through the corridors of the castle, racing to find their companions. After several minutes of frantic searching they finally found them, assembled in one of the outlying halls.

"What are we gonna do?" Edaward asked. "I can't believe they're here already!"

"We're going to aid in the defense of the castle, of course," Lyn replied sharply.

"That's not what I meant. What I meant to say was HOW are we gonna help?"

"Well, those of us who are skilled with the blade should go assist on the front lines," Kratos said. "Leonardo, Lute, you two take up positions atop the battlements. You'll have a much easier time targeting the enemy and staying out of range there. Serra, you stay back behind the lines and assist the injured. The more swords we can point back at the enemy the better off we'll be." Everyone gave a sharp nod, and rushed off to meet their assigned tasks.

"Never knew you were such a leader, Boss," Mia said as the four swordsmen ran to join the battle.

"Don't get used to it," he answered quickly. Now was not the time for such drivel, they had a battle to fight. The scene that greeted them as they made it outside the castle walls was akin to something out of the struggles of old. The Knights or Renais had ridden forth from the castle, attempting to drive back the invaders. So far the lines were holding, although Kratos knew it wouldn't last. The men they were fighting now were untrained, lured over to Bern's side by either greed or fear. He knew Bern was merely using them to tire out their foe, so that when the main thrust came, they would be dishelved and ill prepared to turn it back.

Then battle was upon him, and the specifics mattered little. The first opponent came at him, swinging his sword about recklessly. It was a simple matter to step inside his guard and run his sword through the man's chest. A second opponent came, wielding a lance. His stance was a bit more measured, waiting for Kratos to make the first move. He obliged, rushing forward. His opponent thrust his lance forward in an attempt to skewer him, but Kratos spun out of the was and slammed his sword into the lance, causing it to fly out of the man's grip. He then made short work of the unfortunate enemy.

A glint at the edge of his vision caused Kratos to whip around just in time to see another opponent leveling his sword at Kratos' neck. He barely managed to duck back out of the way, but lost his footing and fell. His opponet raised his sword, preparing to bring it down in an overhead strike. Kratos snapped a kick off into the man's torso, causing him to stagger back. Kratos sprang to his feet and slashed the man open. He grabbed at his chest and fell, trying desperately to stem the tide of blood gushing out of him.

Two knights then rode past on either side of him, lances forwarded. They pushed ahead, piercing several enemies as they proceeded. Kratos stepped back, watching as the pair drove the enemy back, working in tandem to cover one another's blind spots. Such coordinated efficiency drew a measure of respect from him. They had obviously performed this manuever many times in the past.

It was then Kratos noticed an enemy bowman lining up a shot at an oblivious Lyn. He looked around quickly and noticed the discarded lance his enemy had dropped before. _"Not this time," _he thought, grasping the lance firmly and letting it fly. It hit it's mark, digging deep into the man's chest. He probably was never truly aware of what happened to him as the fell into darkness.

The battle was proceeding quite well. The Knights of Renais were driving the enemy back, their lines starting to crumble under the pressure. One man in particular was driving off the enemy in a spectacular fashion, his lance thrusts perfectly timed and measured. General Seth, he decided. If this kept up, they would be ready for whatever Bern had to throw at them.

This thought came to him just as a loud screech pierced the air, prompting Kratos to look up. It was then he was aware of the dozens, no, hundreds of Wyverns and their masters that were converging on their position. "Curses!" He said, falling back towards the castle. For all his training and skill, he was ill prepared to deal with Wyverns. He noticed the others of his group had done the same, unprepared for this new threat.

"I should have known this was coming," Kratos said bitterly. "They intend to fly right over our lines and at the castle itself.

"What are we gonna do, Boss?" Mia asked. "We can't help against those wyverns from down here."

"Hmm..." Lyn muttered, scanning the ground. "Ah!" She ran over and picked up a bow from one of the fallen soldiers. She removed his quiver and strapped it to her back. "Been a while since I've done this, but..." she trailed off, notching an arrow and taking aim. She closed one eye in concentration, her tongue sticking out slightly as she lined up her shot. Kratos scoffed internally. There was no way she could hit anything from way down here.

He was amazed when suddenly he heard a loud scream and one of the wyvern riders fell from his mount, an arrow sticking out of his chest. He flailed about uselessly before impacting with a sickening crunch. "I was a little off," She commented, notching another arrow. "I was looking for a headshot." Kratos and Mia exchanged a quick glance. Just who WAS she?

Their wonderment at Lyn's archery skills soon dissolved as they took another look around the battlefield. Where the Knights of Renais had been pushing back the enemy only moments before, the tide had quickly turned. A force at least five times the size of the original enemy army had emerged, reinforcing their weakened lines. Kratos then knew there was no way they could win this battle.

"Blast! I never expected them to be able to commit this many troops!" Kratos bit out. "If we stay here, we're gonna get slaughtered. There's just no two ways about it."

"Then what do you say we do? We can't just abandon our friends here!"

"I know that! Give me a minute to think..." he replied quickly. After a moment, he had it. "We must relay the message to the twins that this battle's over. Then, we marshall our forces and try to punch through their lines at a single point. It's the only chance of us getting out of here alive."

"But if we abandon the castle, won't Bern get their hands on..." Edward began.

"Yes, I know, but it's either that or we stay here, die, and they get them anyway," he explained. "Edward, you go tell the twins. I'll go to General Seth and request he begin making the preparations. Lyn, you and Mia stay here. See if you can't pick off a couple more of those Wyverns." They acknoledged, and then Kratos was off to find the General.

He found him preparing to meet the latest advance. "Hold steady," he said, pointing his lance forward. "We must not falter!"

"General Seth!" Kratos yelled.

"What?" he said, looking around to find the source of the voice. "What do you want?"

"It's useless to meet the enemy in this fashion, there's just too many of them. They'll overrun us and kill us all."

"Then what do you suggest?" Seth replied curtly. He knew he didn't have time for this nonsense.

"That we think of survival, living to fight another day. They've won this round, Seth. Look around you. Do you honestly think to prevail against such odds?"

"The odds of my survival are irrelevant. All that matters is that I defend my sword liege lords. If I must lay down my life for such a cause, then so be it."

"If you die here, your sacrifice will be meaningless. They'll simply overrun the castle and kill them anyway." He noticed a flicker of hesitation in Seth's demeanor. "So what I suggest is this: we gather what forces we have remaining and force our way through a single point in their lines. If we can manage to get away, we can regroup and meet with our allies. From there we can plan an operation to retake Renais."

The General took a short breath. His words did ring true enough. But to simply abandon Renais to those monsters...he then took another look at the enemy. Their forces had completely encircled the castle, closing in slowly for the kill. He knew then that Kratos was right. "Very well," he conceded. "We shall do as you suggest. Men, prepare to ride forward!" The Knights acknoledged grimly. They knew that many of them would not survive this manuever. They were joined moments later by the defenders that had been positioned within the castle, along with twins themselves, mounted on the purest white steeds. There was a tense few tense moments of silence as they prepared.

"FOR RENAIS!!" Seth declared, leading the charge. The others all joined in his battle cry, pushing forward with all their might. Kratos joined them, he and the others of his group fighting with all their might to get through what seemed to be an endless sea of crimson clad soldiers. Magic and arrows filled the sky as the group pushed ever forward. The Knights were taking heavy casualties, but their spirit remained undaunted. Forward...forward...they had to keep moving forward...

And then suddenly, they were through, a clear path laying open before them. They fled quickly, desperate to put as much distance between themselves and Bern as they could. Fortunately for them, Bern seemed more interested in securing the castle than pursing its fleeing inhabitants. The pursuit force that had been dispatched to follow them was less than adequate, and the weary fugitives were able to dispatch them with ease.

OOOO

It wasn't until late that night that they were finally content to rest, convinced that they had put enough distance between themselves and Bern for one day. Bewildered by the day's events, Kratos sat down by the campfire, drawing his arms in close. There was an unusual chill in the air. Moments later he was joined by his closest friend.

"I can't believe this keeps happening to us," Mia said, sitting beside him and stretching her arms towards the fire. "I'm getting tired of being a fugitive."

"You won't get any argument from me," Kratos agreed, blowing on his hands. "This whole buisiness with Bern is becoming quite the headache. The days of being a simple mercenary seem like a lifetime ago, while in reality it's only been a month at best." He let out a sigh. He knew that it wasn't likely going to be over anytime soon either. Bern had nothing less than world domination on their minds. It seemed terribly cliche, but at the same time he knew it was very serious.

"Why is it so cold?" Mia asked, rubbing her hands together. "Where are we anyway?"

"Hmm...if I didn't know better, I'd say we were getting close to Ilia," he replied. "But there's no way we covered that much ground so quickly..."

"Well, we did flee north, if I recall correctly. But you're right, there's no way we're all the way to Ilia." The pair sat pondering the question for a moment. The true answer eluded them, though, so they decided to drop the point.

"It doesn't really matter at this point," he said. "What matters is what our next move is. We're running out of places to run to. Eventually we're gonna have to stand and fight against them."

"Yeah, you're right. There's only so many times we can concede before they'll have complete control. So, what do you think?"

"Me? I've given far too many orders for one day. What do YOU think we should do?"

"What?" Mia was taken off guard. "Coming up with plans and stragtegies ain't what I do, Boss. Besides, you're much better at it than I am. You're the one that came up with the plan that got us out of there after all."

"How about I tell you in the morning?" Kratos answered, yawning. "For now, what I need is a good night's sleep to clear my head. So much stuff happened all at once, and I'm not entirely sure what to make of it all."

"Fair enough," she conceded. "Well, pleasant dreams then, Kratos," she said, reclining back and attempting to get comfortable.

"You, too," he said, following suit. The chill in the air shook him to his core, but not enough to dissuade him from the fact that she had called him by name again. What did that mean?

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Sorry if things seemed a bit rushed. I promise I'll tie up all the loose ends from this one next chapter. Thanks for reading everyone! Without you all, I'd have no reason to keep on doing this.


	13. Chapter 13 A Fell Wind

Fire Emblem: The Unifying War

Chapter 13 A Fell Wind

Author's Note: I'm still looking for a way to set it up where I won't recieve an e-mail every time I post a chapter. If you can help me, leave me a message of some sort. Thanks in advance.:)

_"WONDERFUL!!" _Riev thought, grasping the hilt of the Sacred Blade Sieglinde. _"That wench's precious sword, here in my hands. Oh, how I've longed for this day." _That predatory smile spread across his face once more. The power contained therein was just as much as the previous ones they'd plundered from Lycia. And with its twin, Siegmund the, also in his possesion, his research was bound to take drastic leaps forward.

One thing that bothered him though was that the wielder of the Sol Katti had managed to escape them once again. He knew that if his plan was to succeed there couldn't be a single loose end. That troublesome girl would have to be dealt with, and soon. The group she had fallen in with was proving to be a more difficult adversary than he'd anticipated. They'd raised quite a fuss in Lycia before escaping into Etruria. They'd put them on alert, which was going to make them a lot tougher to bring down.

Then they'd set off for Renais in an attempt to do the same. Riev had known then that the time to implement his plan had come. Renais would have held out for far too long had they been able to properly prepare their defenses. So he had taken the initiative, activating his sleepers. They had done their job quite well, the drones. They had drawn out Renais long enough for his forces to get into position. Quite admirable for the pawns that they were.

Abandoning Castle Renais had been unexpected. With that loathesome General Seth in command of the Knights of Renais he'd fully expected them to stay and fight until their last breath. But know, they'd cut their losses and fled when it had become apparent that there was no hope of victory. Again, this was no doubt the work of that band of fools.He had no idea who they were, but he knew the longer they existed, the more his plans would be in jeporady. A move would have to be made to eliminate them, and soon.

He rarely had time to listen to the rumblings of the soldiers, but something they had been saying interested him a great deal. They had been complaining about the strange cold weather that had blown through. It had been the middle of summer, why was it all of a sudden becoming so chilly? He knew the answer of course, and it was an interesting phenomenon, to be sure. The more of the power he drew to one place, the more the natural order of things would be distorted. He cared little, however. The only thing that mattered was the advancement of his plans. That was paramount.

OOOOOOOO

Kratos awoke several hours later, the chill in the air not quite as sharp as it had been the night before, but still enough to quickly jerk him into a state of awareness. The sun was beginning to rise, painting the sky a motley assortment of pinks and oranges. He looked around and saw that General Seth was awake and patrolling their makeshift camp, which didn't surprise him. What did surprise him was the sight of Mia still curled up and breathing shallowly. _"Heh, I finally beat her..."_

Seeing her brought his mind back to the discussion they'd had the previous night. What plan of action would serve him and his friends best? There truly were few options left to them at this point. The alliance of the southern nations lay shattered. Lycia and Renais had already fallen, and despite his faith in the skills of Count Reglay, he knew it was only a matter of time before Etruria too fell.

In such case, only one option presented itself to him. The Theocracy of Begnion was the only nation remaning free that had the resources to stand before Bern and their might. From here, they would travel northeast, passing through Ilia and crossing the sea. He let out a small sigh and drew his arms in closer as a sudden chilled breeze blew in. It was then General Seth noticed his presence.

"Ah, Sir Kratos," he said, closing the distance between them. "If I may have a moment?"

"Only if you stop calling me "Sir" Kratos. I haven't been Sir Kratos in years."

"Very well then, Kratos," Seth conceded. "Allow me to express my thanks for your actions yesterday. Had you not reminded me of what was truly important, I doubt we would be alive to have this conversation today."

"Think nothing of it," he replied. "It wasn't as though my motives were atruistic. The pressing concern of survival drove me more than anything."

"Even so, the result remains the same. My men and I owe our survival to your inspiring words."

"And I owe mine to your men holding off the enemy lances, so let's just call it even." he said curtly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound so harsh, I'm just...uncomfortable in this sort of situation."

"Fair enough. So," Seth began, changing the subject. "What do you think we should do now? Our options are severely limited..."

"I'd say the only sensible course of action now would be to make for Begnion. They're the only nation remaining that has a military comparable to that of Bern. We'll have to appeal to them for aid."

"Sounds like a reasonable plan," a familiar voice said from behind him. He turned to find Mia standing there, stretching and blinking the last of the sleep from her eyes. "It's probably the only way out of this mess."

"I concur," Seth said, looking around. "Well, I suppose it's time I roused the rest of our group. We should get moving as soon as possible."

"That would indeed be wise," Kratos agreed. "Ashunera only knows when Bern will send another pursuit force, so the sooner we get moving, the better." Seth set off to his self appointed duty, leaving Kratos and Mia alone. After a few minutes of silence, Mia finally spoke up.

"I know it's pretty much the only way, but MAN I don't wanna go back to Begnion," Mia whined. 'I HATE that place."

"Oh?" Kratos said, curious. "And why is that?"

"Well...um..." she paused for a minute. "It's because everything's so...formal. You have to say and do everything the exact right way, or everyone thinks you're some worthless lowborn hick that's of no value to anyone. They always look down on you and despise you if you don't do things exactly like they want you to." The frustration in her voice was quite clear.

"Sounds like you've had some rough times," Kratos soothed.

"Yeah, well, I got over it," Mia replied in a way that told Kratos to drop it. This irked him a bit. He'd told her HIS story, why should she all of a sudden get to withold things from him? This feeling was quickly replaced by sympathy, however. He remembered how difficult it had been for him to open up, and she was obviously feeling the same things he had been. She'd come around in her own time, he decided. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to touch on a sensitive area."

"No, it's alright. If anyone here should apologize here, it's me. I just have a bit of a rough past with them. You'll forgive me if I don't wanna talk about it right now. Maybe later, when we've had some time to stop and catch our breath a bit..."

"Yes, that's fine. Right now we should focus on the present rather than worrying about the past." His curiosity refused to subside, however. This girl just got more interesting with every passing day.

OOOOOOO

More Enemy Exposition, and ZOMG MIA HAS A PAST!! The game never addressess that at all hardly. She just shows like "Hey, I'm here. Let's fight the bad guys!!" Anyways, I thought it'd be interesting to set that up. Thanks for reading, and leave me a review! Feedack is always appreciated.


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